View source for USS Glenard P. Lipscomb

{{short description|Unique nuclear attack submarine}}
{{one source|date=November 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox ship
|section1={{Infobox ship/image
 |image= USS Glenard P. Lipscomb (SSN-685).jpg
 |image_caption=USS ''Glenard P. Lipscomb''
 }}

|section2={{Infobox ship/career
 |hide_header=
 |country=United States
 |flag= {{USN flag|1990}}
 |name=USS ''Glenard P. Lipscomb''
 |namesake=[[Glenard P. Lipscomb]] (1915–1970)
 |awarded=16 December 1968
 |builder=[[General Dynamics Electric Boat]], [[Groton, Connecticut]]
 |laid_down=5 June 1971
 |launched=4 August 1973
 |sponsor=Mrs. Glenard P. Lipscomb
 |acquired=
 |commissioned=21 December 1974
 |decommissioned=11 July 1990
 |in_service=
 |out_of_service=
 |struck=11 July 1990
 |renamed=
 |reclassified=
 |homeport=
 |motto=
 |nickname="The Lipscombfish / Glenny P"
 |honors=
 |fate=Entered [[Ship-Submarine Recycling Program]] 1997
 |identification=SSN-685
 |notes=
 }}

|section3={{Infobox ship/characteristics
 |hide_header=
 |header_caption=
 |type= [[Nuclear submarine]]
 |displacement=*{{convert|5813|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} surfaced
               *{{convert|6480|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} submerged
 |length= {{convert|365|ft|m|abbr=on}}
 |beam= {{convert|31|ft|8|in|m|abbr=on}}
 |draft=
 |propulsion=[[S5W reactor]]
 |speed=*{{convert|18|kn|lk=in}} surfaced
        *{{convert|23|kn}} submerged
 |range=
 |test_depth={{convert|1300|ft|m|abbr=on}}
 |complement=12 officers, 109 men
 |armament=4 × {{convert|21|in|mm|0|abbr=on}} [[torpedo tube]]s
 |armor=
 |notes=
 }}
}}
'''USS ''Glenard P. Lipscomb'' (SSN-685)''' was a unique nuclear-powered [[attack submarine]] of the [[United States Navy]].

The submarine was named after [[Glenard P. Lipscomb]], who served as a [[United States House of Representatives|representative]] from [[California's 24th congressional district]] from 1953 until his death in 1970.

==Design==
''Glenard P. Lipscomb'' was developed under project [[Ship Characteristics Board|SCB 302.68]].{{sfn|Roberts}} She was the U.S. Navy's second submarine design using a [[turbo-electric transmission]]; the first was the smaller {{USS|Tullibee|SSN-597|6}}. ''Glenard P. Lipscomb'' was intended to test the potential advantages of this propulsion system for providing quieter and safer operation for a full sized [[attack submarine]] (safer because reverse thrust would be instantaneous with reversal of the [[direct current]] engine's electric polarity). The ''Tullibee'' plant had to be scaled up by a factor of six, which resulted in a [[Tonnage#Weight-based systems|displacement]] of 6,400 [[ton]]s and a length of {{convert|365|ft}}. ''Glenard P. Lipscomb '' was thus larger than similar vessels with conventional drive trains, which resulted in slower speeds due to the greater displacement and [[wetted area]]. Her unique turbo-electric drive system was unreliable due to the decision to adopt a direct-current main motor.{{sfn|Friedman|1994|p=149}}{{sfn|Polmar|Moore|2003|p=269-270}} Subsequent U.S. submarine designs did not incorporate turbo-electric drive until the {{sclass|Columbia|submarine|1}}s. Other than the engine room, ''Glenard P. Lipscomb'' was generally similar to the {{sclass|Sturgeon|submarine|4}}, and although serving as a test platform she was a fully combat-capable attack submarine.{{sfn|Friedman|1994|p=147-149}}

==Construction==
Construction of ''Glenard P. Lipscomb'' began on 5 June 1971 at the [[Electric Boat Company]] shipyard in [[Groton, Connecticut]]. Secretary of Defense [[Melvin R. Laird]], a long-time colleague and friend of Glenard Lipscomb, spoke at the keel-laying ceremony.<ref>Press release 497-71</ref> ''Glenard P. Lipscomb'' was [[ship naming and launching|launched]] on 4 August 1973, sponsored by Mrs. Glenard P. Lipscomb, and was [[ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 21 December 1974.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

==Career==
''Glenard P. Lipscomb'' deployed to the North Atlantic in the fall of 1976, followed immediately by a deployment to the Mediterranean Sea in the winter and spring of 1977. The boat was awarded the [[Meritorious Unit Commendation]].{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

The submarine deployed to the North Atlantic in the winter and spring of 1978. ''Glenard P. Lipscomb'' was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation. She deployed to the Mediterranean Sea in the winter and spring of 1979.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

''Glenard P. Lipscomb'' was awarded the Commander, [[Submarine Development Squadron 12|Submarine Development Squadron Twelve]], [[Battle Effectiveness Award|Battle Efficiency]] [White] "E" and Engineering Excellence [Red] "E" for Fiscal Years 1977, 1978 under the command of Commander Robert B. Wilkinson and 1979, and 1980 under the command of Commander Thomas Robertson.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

In 1987, she was involved in a collision with a [[tugboat]] in the Cooper River at [[Naval Weapons Station Charleston]]. Suffering slight damage to her towed array housing and propeller, she was required to spend an extra week in drydock to facilitate repairs. There were no injuries aboard the submarine; however, the tugboat sank as a result of the collision.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

''Glenard P. Lipscomb'' was [[Ship decommissioning|decommissioned]] and struck from the [[Naval Vessel Register]] on 11 July 1990 and disposed of under the [[Ship-Submarine Recycling Program|submarine recycling program]] at [[Puget Sound Naval Shipyard]] on 1 December 1997. Her active duty career of less than 16 years is one of the shortest for a nuclear submarine in the US Navy.{{sfn|Friedman|1994|p=238}}

== See also ==
Other submarines with unique silencing features
*{{USS|Tullibee|SSN-597}}
*{{USS|Jack|SSN-605}}
*{{USS|Narwhal|SSN-671}}

==References==
===Notes===
{{Reflist}}

===Sources===
* {{cite book |last=Friedman|first=Norman |title=U.S. Submarines Since 1945: An Illustrated Design History |publisher=United States Naval Institute |year=1994|location=Annapolis, Maryland |isbn=1-55750-260-9}}
* {{cite book |last1=Polmar |first1=Norman |last2=Moore |first2=K. J. |title=Cold War Submarines: The Design and Construction of U.S. and Soviet Submarines |publisher=Potomac |year=2003|location=Dulles, Virginia |isbn=978-1-57488-594-1}}
* {{cite web |last=Roberts |first=Stephen S. |url=https://www.shipscribe.com/navyrefs/scb/index.html |title=U.S. Navy Ship Design Project Numbers, 1946-1979 ("SCB Numbers") |access-date=11 October 2022 }}

==External links==
{{Commons category|USS Glenard P. Lipscomb (SSN-685)}}
* {{navsource|08/08685|USS Glenard P. Lipscomb (SSN-685)}}

{{US submarine classes after 1945}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Glenard P. Lipscomb (SSN-685)}}
[[Category:Ships built in Groton, Connecticut]]
[[Category:Submarines of the United States Navy]]
[[Category:Cold War submarines of the United States]]
[[Category:Experimental nuclear submarines of the United States Navy]]
[[Category:1973 ships]]