View source for USS Robert E. Lee

{{short description|Submarine of the U.S. Navy}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
|+USS ''Robert E. Lee'' (SSBN-601)
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=[[File:USS Robert E. Lee (SSBN-601).jpg|300px|USS ''Robert E. Lee'' (SSBN-601)]]
|Ship caption=USS ''Robert E. Lee'' (SSBN-601)
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag= {{USN flag|1986}}
|Ship name=
|Ship namesake=[[Robert E. Lee]] (1807-1870)
|Ship ordered=30 July 1958
|Ship builder=[[Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company]]
|Ship laid down=25 August 1958
|Ship launched=18 December 1959
|Ship sponsor=Mrs. Hanson E. Ely, Jr
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned=15 September 1960
|Ship decommissioned=1 December 1983
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck=30 April 1986
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship fate=Recycling via [[Ship-Submarine Recycling Program]] completed 30 September 1991
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption= 
|Ship class= {{sclass|George Washington|submarine}}
|Ship type=
|Ship tonnage=
|Ship displacement=*5400 tons light<ref Name=FAS/>
*5959-6019 tons surfaced<ref Name=FAS/>
*6709-6888 Approx. tons submerged<ref Name=FAS>
 {{cite web
 |url=http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/usa/slbm/ssbn-598.htm
 |title=SSBN-598 George Washington-Class FBM Submarines
 |publisher=[[Federation of American Scientists]]
 |access-date=2012-11-24
 }}</ref>
|Ship length={{convert|381.6|ft|m|abbr=on}}<ref Name=FAS/>
|Ship beam={{convert|33|ft|m|abbr=on}} <ref Name=FAS/>
|Ship height=
|Ship draught=
|Ship draft={{convert|29|ft|m|abbr=on}}<ref Name=FAS/>
|Ship depth=
|Ship hold depth=
|Ship decks=
|Ship deck clearance=
|Ship ramps=
|Ship ice class=
|Ship power=
|Ship propulsion=*1 × [[S5W]] [[Pressurized water reactor|PWR]]<ref Name=FAS/>
*2 × geared [[turbines]] at {{convert|15000|shp|abbr=on}}<ref Name=FAS/>
*1 × shaft<ref Name=FAS/>
|Ship sail plan=
|Ship speed=*{{convert|20|kn}} surfaced<ref Name=FAS/>
*{{convert|25|kn}}+ submerged<ref Name=FAS/>
|Ship range=unlimited except by food supplies
|Ship endurance=
|Ship test depth={{convert|700|ft|m|abbr=on}}<ref Name=FAS/>
|Ship boats=
|Ship capacity=
|Ship troops=
|Ship complement=Two crews (Blue/Gold) each consisting of 12 officers 100 enlisted
|Ship crew=
|Ship time to activate=
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*16 × [[Polaris missile|Polaris A1/A3 missiles]]<ref Name=FAS/>
*6 × {{convert|21|in|mm|abbr=on}} [[torpedo]] tubes<ref Name=FAS/>
|Ship armour=
|Ship armor=
|Ship aircraft=
|Ship aircraft facilities=
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

'''USS ''Robert E. Lee'' (SSBN-601)''', a {{sclass|George Washington|submarine|0}} fleet ballistic missile [[submarine]], was the only ship of the [[United States Navy]] to be named for [[Robert E. Lee]] (1807–1870), the commanding general of the [[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] forces during the [[American Civil War]].

Her keel was laid down on 25 August 1958 by the [[Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company]] of [[Newport News, Virginia]].  She was [[ship naming and launching|launched]] on 18 December 1959 sponsored by Anne Carter (Lee) Ely, a granddaughter of Confederate General Robert E. Lee and widow of Hanson Edward Ely, Jr., and [[ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 16 September 1960 with [[Commander (United States)|Commander]] Reuben F. Woodal commanding the Blue Crew and Commander Joseph Williams, Jr. commanding the Gold Crew.

==Service history==
===Shakedown and training===
The third [[Nuclear marine propulsion|nuclear-powered]] [[ballistic missile submarine]] to join the fleet, and the first nuclear-powered submarine built in the southern [[United States]], ''Robert E. Lee'' operated in and out of [[Newport News, Virginia]], until 2 December 1960, when she got underway for the [[Narragansett Bay]] Operating Area for [[torpedo]] firing tests. Following the successful firing of five torpedoes on 6 December 1960, ''Robert E. Lee'' departed for [[Cape Canaveral]], [[Florida]], arriving on 12 December 1960.  She then loaded [[Polaris missile|Polaris]] test missiles and on 22 December 1960 conducted her first missile launch. The Polaris flew "hot and true."{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

In January 1961, ''Robert E. Lee'' conducted additional simulated missile launches and on 15 January 1961 departed for the [[Bermuda]] Operating Area. There, joined by the [[submarine]] {{USS|Torsk|SS-423}} on 25 January 1961, she engaged in [[antisubmarine warfare]] training with ''Torsk''.  Returning to Norfolk on 30 January, ''Robert E. Lee'' entered the Newport News [[drydock]] on 3 February for a month of shipyard work. She departed Newport News on 17 March 1961, loaded torpedoes at [[Yorktown, Virginia]], on 25 March, and got underway for [[Cape Canaveral]], arriving on 9 April 1961.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

''Robert E. Lee'' conducted "special operations" out of [[Cape Canaveral]] during May and June 1961, and in late June departed for [[Holy Loch]], [[Scotland]], where she joined [[Submarine Squadron 14]] on 10 July 1961.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

===Holy Loch deployment, 1961-1965===
She conducted practice torpedo firing during the first week of August and departed Holy Loch on 9 August 1961 on her first deterrent patrol. During the next two years she completed nine more deterrent patrols.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

On 10 September 1963, ''Robert E. Lee'' entered the floating drydock {{ship||Los Alamos|AFDB-7}}, then on 4 October 1963 resumed her normal patrol schedule. Continuing to operate out of Holy Loch into 1964, she got underway on 27 November 1964 for her 16th patrol, which terminated on 28 January 1965 at [[Mare Island Naval Shipyard]], [[Vallejo, California|Vallejo]], [[California]].{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

===First refit, 1965===
On 22 February 1965, ''Robert E. Lee'' entered the Mare Island Division of the [[San Francisco Bay Naval Shipyard]] for her first [[Refueling and Overhaul|overhaul]]. Major items of work included [[Refueling and Overhaul|refueling]] the reactor, reengineering of many ship systems to provide greater safety and reliability, modernization of the navigation system, and modification to the weapons system to give her the capability of launching the improved Polaris A3 missile.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

Emerging from overhaul after nearly a year and a half of work, ''Robert E. Lee'' got underway for [[sea trial]]s on 12 July 1966.  Sound trials and weapons system accuracy trials were conducted during the latter half of July, and on 5 August she entered [[San Diego, California]], harbor for a five-day visit. Underway for the [[United States East Coast]] on 10 August 1966, ''Robert E. Lee'' transited the [[Panama Canal]] on 20 August and arrived at [[Charleston, South Carolina]], on 4 September 1966.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

During the remainder of September and the first week of October, ''Robert E. Lee'' conducted [[shakedown cruise|shakedown]] operations off [[Cape Canaveral, Florida]]. On 10 October, with the [[Undersecretary of the Navy]] on board as an observer, ''Robert E. Lee'' successfully fired a Polaris A-3 test missile.  She returned to Charleston to commence a predeployment upkeep period at the [[Cooper River (South Carolina)|Cooper River]] site in [[South Carolina]] where a failed rudder ram bolt was replaced. On 4 December 1966, she departed Charleston on her 17th deterrent patrol, which terminated at Holy Loch on 30 January 1967.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

===Holy Loch, 1967-1971===
By 4 October 1967, ''Robert E. Lee'' had completed three more patrols. After drydocking in ''Los Alamos'' for minor repairs and [[Hull (watercraft)|hull]] surveillance, she resumed her patrol schedule on 1 November 1967 and completed her 21st patrol before entering drydock on 22 November 1967 for two weeks of repairs. She departed Holy Loch on 26 December 1967 for another patrol.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

''Robert E. Lee'' remained attached to Submarine Squadron 14 throughout 1969 and 1970. Continuing to operate out of Holy Loch, she completed her 33rd deterrent patrol on 1 January 1971.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

===Second refit (1971)===
''Robert E. Lee'' was drydocked for her second overhaul on 27 January 1971 at [[Puget Sound Naval Shipyard]], [[Bremerton, Washington|Bremerton]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]]. She did not leave the drydock until 11 December 1971 and, afterward remained berthed at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for the remainder of 1971. For the first seven months of 1972, ''Robert E. Lee'' was engaged in post-overhaul trials and exercises on the [[United States West Coast]].{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

===United States East Coast operations, 1972-1973===
In mid-August 1972, ''Robert E. Lee'' transited the [[Panama Canal]] and arrived in [[Charleston, South Carolina]], on 14 September 1972. She continued normal operations, this time on the U.S. East Coast, throughout 1972 and for the first seven months of 1973.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

===Pacific operations, 1973-1977===
Transiting the Panama Canal early in August 1973, she arrived in [[San Diego, California]], on 17 August 1973 and then moved on to [[Pearl Harbor]], [[Hawaii]], arriving on 5 September 1973. After a month in [[Hawaii]], she sailed for [[Apra, Guam|Apra]], [[Guam]], and continued operations in that area into 1977, accomplishing several deterrent patrols in the Pacific.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

===Third refit, 1977-1978===
In early 1977, ''Robert E. Lee'' drydocked for her third and final overhaul at Mare Island Naval Shipyard for nuclear reactor core refueling, equipment, and weapons upgrades. Sea Trials commenced in August 1978 and she went into operational status December, 1978.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

===Operations 1978-1983===
The Gold Crew transited the Panama Canal January 1979. Transited to San Diego California, Bremerton, WA to Honolulu, HI. Turned over to the Blue Crew.
In 1982-1983, ''Robert E. Lee''{{'}}s missiles were removed and she was redesignated SSN 601.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

==Decommissioning and disposal==
''Robert E. Lee'' was [[Ship decommissioning|decommissioned]] on 1 December 1983, and stricken from the [[Naval Vessel Register]] on 30 April 1986. Her hulk was stored at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard until it entered the Nuclear Powered [[Ship and Submarine Recycling Program]]. On 30 September 1991, it ceased to exist.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*https://www.ssbn601.org) New website 2022
*[https://www.ssbn601.org/ USS Robert E Lee official website]
*{{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/r/robert-e-lee-ssbn-601.html}}
*{{navsource|08/08601|USS Robert E Lee}}

{{George Washington class submarine}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Robert E. Lee (SSBN-601)}}
[[Category:1959 ships]]
[[Category:George Washington-class submarines]]
[[Category:Cold War submarines of the United States]]
[[Category:Nuclear submarines of the United States Navy]]
[[Category:Ships built in Newport News, Virginia]]
[[Category:Robert E. Lee]]
[[Category:Confederate States of America monuments and memorials]]