USS Emory S. Land at Apra Harbor, Guam in July 2010 | |
History | |
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United States | |
Name | USS Emory S. Land |
Namesake | Emory S. Land |
Awarded | 20 November 1974 |
Builder | Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company, Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
Laid down | 2 March 1976 |
Launched | 4 May 1977 |
Commissioned | 7 July 1979 |
Homeport | Apra Harbor, Guam |
Motto | Land of Opportunity |
Honours and awards | |
Status | in active service |
Badge | |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Emory S. Land-class submarine tender |
Tonnage | 9,067 LT DWT |
Displacement |
|
Length | 649 ft (198 m) |
Beam | 85 ft (26 m) |
Draft | 26–29 ft (7.9–8.8 m) |
Propulsion |
|
Speed | 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) |
Complement | 900 Navy/150 Military Sealift Command (MSC) |
Armament |
|
USS Emory S. Land (AS-39) is a United States Navy submarine tender and the lead ship of her class. She was named for Admiral Emory S. Land.
The ship provides food, electricity, water, consumables, spare parts, medical, dental, disbursing, mail, legal services, ordnance, and any parts or equipment repair that a submarine may require. To accomplish this, the ship has a physical plant similar to that of a small town, including 53 different specialized shops.
Following commissioning, she was originally homeported in Norfolk, Virginia at various D&S (i.e., destroyer and submarine) piers in support of the newly established Submarine Squadron Eight (SubRon8) for the new SSN-688 Class submarines (SSN-689, SSN-691, SSN-693, SSN-695, SSN-697, SSN-699). When she deployed from Puget Sound Naval Shipyard her first port of call was Oakland, California; from there she cruised to Acapulco, Mexico before arriving in port at Norfolk, Virginia. She spent time in refresher training at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Upon the commissioning of Submarine Squadron 8 on 4 August 1979, she became the squadron flagship. [1]
In September 1980, Emory S. Land deployed to the Pacific Fleet to provide services to the Indian Ocean Battle Group. She made two port calls in Spain, (Palma Majorca and Malaga) and Haifa, Israel before arriving in Diego Garcia. During the spring of 1981, she paid a 3-4-day port visit to Halifax along with one SubRon8 unit while moored at Canadian Forces Base Shearwater, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. In July 1986, Emory S. Land operated as Officer in Tactical Command of four United States ships and five foreign ships in transit from the Virginia Capes operating area to the New York Harbor where she participated in the International Naval Review and Fourth of July Statue of Liberty rededication ceremonies. In August 1987, Emory S. Land operated as the tactical and communications platform for Submarine Squadron 8 and Submarine Squadron 6 to work both with and against a surface combatant group.
In 1988, Emory S. Land was underway and deployed for 182 days. During the deployment, the ship steamed 26,011 nautical miles (48,172 km) and circumnavigated the world. Port visits included Lisbon, Portugal; Naples, Italy, Port Said, Egypt; Muscat, Oman; Fremantle, Western Australia; and Rodman Naval Station, Panama. During her 92 days anchored at a remote site off the coast of Oman, she tended the surface combatants of Joint Task Force Middle East and Carrier Battle Groups Golf and Charlie. Immediate superior in command (ISIC) for this period was Commander Task Force 73. [2]
In 1991, with the departure of USS L. Y. Spear and the transition of USS Hunley (AS-31) to Submarine Squadron 6, USS Emory S. Land's Supply Department assumed full responsibility for Submarine Squadron 8 supply support. [3]
In July 1993, Emory S. Land served as the Commander, Submarine Group 2 flagship during a port visit to Boston, and was the host ship for a visit by the Commanding-In-Chief, Russian Northern Fleet and three visiting Russian ships.
Emory S. Land returned to its homeport 30 May 2007 after a seven-day visit to the nation of Montenegro. Emory S. Land is only the third U.S. Naval ship to visit Montenegro since the United States began diplomatic relations with the country in 2006. [4]
Upon turnover and relief of USS Simon Lake (AS-33), Emory S. Land served at La Maddalena, Italy as the sole permanently assigned vessel in Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet's Submarine Group 8 from May, 1999, until 30 September 2007, on which date she departed for Bremerton, Washington, where she underwent a conversion to a hybrid US Navy/Military Sealift Command crew. She departed Bremerton, Washington on 14 June 2010 and after port calls in Hawaii, Guam and Singapore, arrived in her new homeport of Diego Garcia on 14 August 2010. [5]
The ship's commanding officer, Captain Eric Merrill, was removed from command on 21 June 2011 after the ship struck a channel buoy at Mina Salman, Bahrain earlier that same month. The ship was damaged in the collision. [6]
On 23 December 2015, it was announced that Emory S. Land would change its homeport to Naval Base Guam. [7]
In December 2023, it was announced that Emory S. Land would deploy from Guam to HMAS Stirling, Australia's naval base in Western Australia, and conduct the US Navy's first submarine maintenance work in Australia during the southern hemisphere winter. 30 Australian sailors will be embarked to learn how to repair a Virginia-class submarine, as part of the AUKUS agreement. [8]
Since her commissioning, Emory S. Land has received four Meritorious Unit Commendations (1984, 1987, 2007, and 2012), the Navy Expeditionary Medal (1980), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1988), and eight Battle Efficiency Awards (1981, 1982, 1983, 1996, 2000, 2002, 2012, and 2013) in addition to numerous departmental awards. She was awarded a Secretary of the Navy Letter of Commendation in 1988. The ship won the Captain Edward F. Ney Memorial for Large Ship Food Service Excellence in 1985 and 1995, the Safety "S" award for 1995, and the Red "DC" in 1995.
USS Providence (SSN-719), a Los Angeles-class submarine, is the fifth vessel of the United States Navy to be named for Providence, Rhode Island. The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut on 16 April 1979 and her keel was laid down on 14 October 1982. She was launched on 4 August 1984 sponsored by Mrs. William F. Smith, and commissioned on 27 July 1985.
USS Annapolis (SSN-760), is the tenth "improved" Los Angeles-class submarine. Annapolis is the fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named for Annapolis, Maryland, site of the United States Naval Academy.
USS Omaha (SSN-692), a Los Angeles-class submarine, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for Omaha, Nebraska. The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut on 31 January 1971 and her keel was laid down on 27 January 1973. She was launched on 21 February 1976 sponsored by Mrs. Victoria Kuncl Hruska, wife of Senator Roman L. Hruska, and commissioned on 11 March 1978.
USS Los Angeles (SSN-688), lead ship of her class of submarines, was the fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named for Los Angeles, California. The contract to build her was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia on 8 January 1971 and her keel was laid down on 8 January 1972. She was launched on 6 April 1974 sponsored by Anne Armstrong, and commissioned on 13 November 1976. She hosted President Jimmy Carter and the First Lady on 27 May 1977 for an at-sea demonstration of her capabilities. In 2007 she was the oldest submarine in active service with the United States Navy. The Navy decommissioned Los Angeles on 23 January 2010, in the Port of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, her namesake city.
USS Louisville (SSN-724), a Los Angeles-class submarine, is the fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named for Louisville, Kentucky. The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut, on 11 February 1982 and her keel was laid on 24 September 1984. She was launched on 14 December 1985—sponsored by Mrs. Betty Ann McKee, wife of Admiral Kinnaird McKee, Director of Naval Nuclear Propulsion —and commissioned on 8 November 1986 with Captain Charles E. Ellis in command.
USS Plunger (SSN-595), a Permit-class submarine, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named "plunger", meaning a diver or a daring gambler.
USS Pollack (SSN-603), a Permit-class attack submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the pollack, a food fish resembling the true cod, but with the lower jaw projecting and without the barbel.
USS Flasher (SSN-613), a Permit-class submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the flasher, a member of the fish family Lobotidae, which have an unusual placement of the second dorsal and anal fins, posteriorly located on the body, close to the tail.
USS San Francisco (SSN-711) is a Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine, the third ship or boat of the United States Navy to be named for San Francisco, California.
USS Tautog (SSN-639), a Sturgeon-class attack submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the tautog, a wrasse commonly found along the Northern Atlantic coast. The submarine was in service from 17 August 1968 to 31 March 1997.
USS Sunfish (SSN-649), a Sturgeon-class attack submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the ocean sunfish, a marine species having a deep body truncated behind, and high dorsal and anal fins.
USS Drum (SSN-677), a Sturgeon-class attack submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the drum, also known as the croaker or hardhead, any of various fishes of the Sciaenidae family, capable of making a drumming noise and best known on the Atlantic coast of North America.
USS Columbia (SSN-771) is the 21st flight III, or Improved (688i) Los Angeles-class attack submarine of the United States Navy. Commissioned in 1995, the submarine is assigned to Submarine Squadron 7 and homeported in Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.
USS Hampton (SSN-767), a Los Angeles-class submarine, is the fourth ship of the United States Navy to bear this name. The earlier Hamptons were given their names for varying reasons, but SSN-767 was specifically named for four cities: Hampton, Virginia; Hampton, Iowa; Hampton, South Carolina; and Hampton, New Hampshire. There are 14 more "Hampton" towns in the United States.
USS Buffalo (SSN-715) was a Los Angeles-class submarine, the second vessel that actively served the United States Navy to be named for Buffalo, New York. The contract to build her was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia on 23 February 1976, and her keel was laid down on 25 January 1980. She was launched on 8 May 1982 sponsored by Mrs. Joanne Kemp, wife of former Buffalo Bills quarterback and New York's 31st congressional district representative Jack Kemp, who was credited with winning approval to name the ship after the city in his district. Buffalo was commissioned on 5 November 1983, with Commander G. Michael Hewitt in command. Buffalo was decommissioned on 30 January 2019 after 35 years of service.
USS Olympia (SSN-717) is a Los Angeles-class submarine of the United States Navy. She is the 30th Los Angeles class nuclear powered fast attack submarine.
USS Key West (SSN-722), a Los Angeles-class submarine, is the third ship of the United States Navy to be named after Key West, Florida.
USS Pasadena (SSN-752) is a Los Angeles-class submarine and the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for Pasadena, California.
USS Columbus (SSN-762) is a Los Angeles-class nuclear powered fast attack submarine and the second vessel of the United States Navy to be named for Columbus, Ohio. The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut, on 21 March 1986 and her keel was laid down on 9 January 1991. She was launched on 1 August 1992 sponsored by Mrs. Margaret DeMars, wife of Admiral Bruce DeMars and commissioned on 24 July 1993.
The Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMSUBPAC) is the principal advisor to the Commander, United States Pacific Fleet (COMPACFLT) for submarine matters. The Pacific Submarine Force (SUBPAC) includes attack, ballistic missile and auxiliary submarines, submarine tenders, floating submarine docks, deep submergence vehicles and submarine rescue vehicles throughout the Pacific.
This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register , which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain.as well as various press releases and news stories.