# USS Sam Rayburn

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**USS *Sam Rayburn* (SSBN-635)** was a [*James Madison*-class submarine](/source/James_Madison-class_submarine) [fleet ballistic missile submarine](/source/Fleet_ballistic_missile_submarine) named for [Sam Rayburn](/source/Sam_Rayburn) (1882–1961), [Speaker of the United States House of Representatives](/source/Speaker_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives) (1940–1947, 1949–1953, and 1955–1961). *Sam Rayburn* was in commission 2 December 1964 to 31 July 1989 carrying the [Polaris](/source/UGM-27_Polaris) missile and later the [Poseidon](/source/UGM-73_Poseidon) missile. Following decommissioning, ex-*Sam Rayburn* was converted into a moored training ship for use at the [Naval Nuclear Power Training Unit](/source/Nuclear_Power_School) at [Goose Creek, South Carolina](/source/Goose_Creek,_South_Carolina).

## Construction and commissioning

The contract to build *Sam Rayburn* was awarded to [Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company](/source/Northrop_Grumman_Newport_News) in [Newport News, Virginia](/source/Newport_News,_Virginia) on 20 July 1961 and her keel was laid down there on 3 December 1962. She was [launched](/source/Ship_naming_and_launching) on 20 December 1963, sponsored by Mrs. S. E. Bartley and Mrs. W. A. Thomas, and [commissioned](/source/Ship_commissioning) on 2 December 1964, with [Captain](/source/Captain_(naval)) Oliver H. Perry, Jr., in command of the Blue Crew and [Commander](/source/Commander_(United_States)) William A. Williams III in command of the Gold Crew.[1]

## Service history

*Sam Rayburn* conducted demonstration and [shakedown](/source/Shakedown_cruise) operations on the [Atlantic Missile Range](/source/Atlantic_Missile_Range), first operated by her Blue Crew and then by her Gold Crew. She joined [Submarine Squadron 18](/source/Submarine_Squadron_18) at [Charleston](/source/Charleston,_South_Carolina), [South Carolina](/source/South_Carolina), before her first [Polaris ballistic missile](/source/Polaris_missile) deterrent patrol in the summer of 1965. In August 1965, she joined [Submarine Squadron 16](/source/Submarine_Squadron_16) and made seven deterrent patrols out of [Rota](/source/Rota,_Spain), [Spain](/source/Spain), before rejoining Submarine Squadron 18 at Charleston in December 1966. During 1967, *Sam Rayburn* completed her 8th through 11th deterrent patrols. During 1968, she completed her 12th through 14th deterrent patrols.[1]

During 1969, *Sam Rayburn* operated continuously with Submarine Squadron 18 until commencing [overhaul](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/overhaul) at [Portsmouth Naval Shipyard](/source/Portsmouth_Naval_Shipyard) at [Kittery](/source/Kittery,_Maine), [Maine](/source/Maine), in December 1969. Upon completion of overhaul on 27 May 1971, she operated along the [United States East Coast](/source/United_States_East_Coast) for the remainder of 1971 and into 1972.[1]

In 1972, *Sam Rayburn* departed [Groton](/source/Groton,_Connecticut), [Connecticut](/source/Connecticut), and arrived at Charleston before departing Charleston on an extended period of special operations. In June 1974, she remained engaged in those special operations.[1]

## Deactivation, decommissioning, and disposal

On 10 June 1985, the U.S. Navy announced plans to dismantle a fleet ballistic missile submarine so as to remain within the [SALT II](/source/SALT_II) strategic arms limitation treaty ceiling on [MIRVed](/source/MIRV) ballistic missiles. *Sam Rayburn* was selected and was deactivated on 16 September 1985, with missile tubes filled with concrete and tube hatches removed.[2] Her missile compartment was later dismantled and the two halves (bow and stern) of the ship were pulled together and welded in place for use as a training ship.[citation needed]

*Sam Rayburn* was decommissioned on 31 July 1989 and reclassified a [moored training ship](/source/Moored_training_ship) (MTS) with [hull number](/source/Hull_classification_symbol) MTS-635.[3][4] Struck from the [Naval Vessel Register](/source/Naval_Vessel_Register) on 31 July 1989,[5] she arrived at the Naval Nuclear Prototype Training Unit at [Goose Creek](/source/Goose_Creek,_South_Carolina), South Carolina, in August 1989 after achieving initial criticality in her new role on 29 July 1989.[citation needed] Her modifications included special mooring arrangements, including Water Brake, a mechanism to absorb power generated by her main propulsion shaft.[citation needed] She operated as a moored training ship from 1989-2021. MTS-635 departed the Naval Nuclear Power Training Unit Charleston on 1 April 2021 via a tow vessel and escort, arriving at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth Virginia on 3 April 2021 to await defueling and eventual dismantling.[6] The Naval Nuclear Power Training Unit at Goose Creek, South Carolina will continue to train students with replacement converted training ships; the [USS *La Jolla*](/source/USS_La_Jolla) (SSN-701) and the [USS *San Francisco* (SSN-711)](/source/USS_San_Francisco_(SSN-711)).[6]

*Sam Rayburn* left Norfolk on April 2, 2025,[citation needed] bound for Bremerton, Washington for storage and eventual recycling.[7]

## References

1. ["USS Sam Rayburn"](http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/s/sam-rayburn.html)

1. ["SSBN-616 Lafayette-Class FBM Submarines"](http://fas.org/nuke/guide/usa/slbm/ssbn-616.htm). *Global Security*. Retrieved 28 June 2015.

1. *Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995*. Annapolis, USA: Naval Institute Press. 1995. p. 612. ISBN 1-55750-132-7.

1. Polmar, Norman (2005). [*The Naval Institute Guide to the Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. Fleet*](https://books.google.com/books?id=8MwyTX-iA2wC&pg=PA67). Naval Institute Press. p. 67. ISBN 978-1-59114-685-8.

1. "USS Sam Rayburn". *Naval Vessel Register*

1. Brayshaw, Michael (5 April 2021). ["NNSY welcomes MTS Sam Rayburn for inactivation"](https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Media/News/Article/2561344/nnsy-welcomes-mts-sam-rayburn-for-inactivation/). [Naval Sea Systems Command](/source/Naval_Sea_Systems_Command). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210419000541/https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Media/News/Article/2561344/nnsy-welcomes-mts-sam-rayburn-for-inactivation/) 19 April 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 29 April 2021.

1. Michael D Brayshaw. ["NNSY completes inactivation of MTS Sam Rayburn"](https://www.dvidshub.net/news/484778/nnsy-completes-inactivation-mts-sam-rayburn). *Defense Visual Information Distribution Service*

## External links

- ["Texas Navy"](http://texashistory.unt.edu/permalink/meta-pth-2419). January 1968. Retrieved 2011-09-25. – Includes maps, sketches, a list of ships of the Texas Navy, and a chronology. Also includes photographs of 20th-century U.S. Navy ships named after Texans or Texas locations, including photographs of *Sam Rayburn*.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [USS Sam Rayburn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Sam_Rayburn) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Sam_Rayburn?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.