USS Ohio (SSBN-726)

I was assigned to the small group attending the Ohio design course (28 Nov. 1977- 23 Jan. 1978). We could offer design improvements. I was in the presence of superb officers and men. My shipmates wondered why a Truxton sailor was given orders to this “Boat”. I was previously assigned to SSBN-618 and 645. Information, on the internet stated the first Commanding Officer was a Commander. He was a “full bird” Captain. Submarines don’t usually rate that high of rank. Our XO was a Commander. To quote the TV character, Monk, “I could be wrong there, but I don’t think so”.

We set up our offices at Electric Boat Shipyard, Groton, CT. There was a delay, and some scuttlebutt about disbanding the pre-commissioning crew. We kept busy; there wasn’t much of a ship to see. EB had a wooden mock-up of the engineering spaces and four tubes of the missile compartment. It was eight months of easy duty. Captain Thomson told us to enjoy the banker’s hours. When we start training, 12 hours days, seven days a week would be the standard. When training started, we had a day off.  Great leadership Captain. Tell the troops the worst and when it’s not that bad, they will feel like they “dodged a bullet”.

Memories of Ken Beck Sr. EM1/C (SS)

Vice Admiral George W. Emery was appointed 24th Commander of the Submarine Force US Atlantic Fleet, and Commander Submarine Allied Command Atlantic by President Clinton in August 1993.

Born in Sanford, Maine, on 28 December 1940, Vice Admiral Emery was appointed to the US Naval Academy by Senator Margaret Chase Smith and graduated with distinction with the Class of 1963.  He attended graduate programs at the University of Delaware and George Washington University, and served on five nuclear submarines, commanding USS Groton (SSN 694) and USS Ohio (SSBN 726) (Gold crew).  Vice Admiral Emery surfaced at the North Pole while Engineer Officer aboard USS Hammerhead (SSN 663), and circumnavigated the globe submerged while commanding USS Groton (SSN 694).