Scorpion was the last US submarine to perish.

By Georgy Tomin

USS Scorpion (SSN-589) was a Skipjack-class submarine, one of six nuclear-powered submarines commissioned between 1959 and 1961. These submarines were the fastest submarines at the time; their teardrop-shaped hull, first tested on the USS Albacore, and 15-horsepower S5W reactor allowed them to reach submerged speeds of 33 knots (61 km/h). A distinctive design feature of these submarines was the relocation of the torpedo compartment closer to the center of the hull to free up the bow for the massive spherical sonar array. Additionally, a main command post (MCP) was created, which combined the conning tower and control station. weapons and the submarine as a whole. Also, for the first time, this series of boats featured push-button ballast control—previously, valves were used for this purpose.

The Scorpion was laid down on August 20, 1958, at the General Dynamics Electric Boat yard in Groton, Connecticut. During the launch, Elizabeth S. Morrison, daughter of Lieutenant Commander Maximilian Schmidt, commander of a World War II submarine of the same name, the USS Scorpion (SS-278), knocked a bottle of alcoholic beverage over the boat. It’s worth noting the carelessness of the American admirals in choosing the name for the newborn submarine. The fact is that the very same Scorpion, after which the submarine was named, disappeared without a trace in February 1944. Japanese commanders did not report the sinking of the American submarine in this area of ​​the Yellow Sea, but the Scorpion never returned to base. Most likely, the submarine perished with all hands in a minefield. However, this is not certain. In any case, in our navy They wouldn’t give the ship such an unfortunate name: it’s superstition, of course, but you never know…

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE… (en.topwar.ru)

 

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