USS SCORPION lost 53 years ago today
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Topic: USS SCORPION lost 53 years ago today
Posted By: gerry
Subject: USS SCORPION lost 53 years ago today
Date Posted: 22 May 2021 at 8:19pm
Today we mark the loss of USS SCORPION, SSN-589, lost this day in 1968 with all 99 crew aboard. SCORPION and her crew rest 400 miles southwest of the Azores in 10,000 feet of water, yet they still serve on eternal patrol.  There are numerous (and some divisive) theories about the loss of the ship, and while we do not wish to devolve into any arguments here, I will ask the question however: Did any of you know anyone on SCORPION or have any stories of SCORPION you would be willing to share?
------------- MT2/SS USS Simon Bolivar - SSBN 641 (B) USS Henry M. Jackson - SSBN 730 (B) USSVI - Wyoming Base |
Replies:
Posted By: Dantini
Date Posted: 23 May 2021 at 8:29am
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Gerry, Here is a link to a very informative video about the Scorpion's loss that I am putting in the June Mail Buoy newsletter for Ron: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJWHiPSvzh8&t=491s" rel="nofollow - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJWHiPSvzh8&t=491s
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Posted By: SaltiDawg
Date Posted: 23 May 2021 at 9:57am
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In 1968 Admiral Schade was COMSUBLANT. Admiral Schade had been XO on Growler when Commander Gilmore earned the Medal of Honor when he ordered, "Take her down." Anyhow, the Admiral and a few of his Staff were in New London and aboard my boat, USS Pargo, to earn his Sub Pay when Scorpion was deemed overdue. He had us get underway, and take him directly and immediately to the Sea Buoy off Norfolk so he could get ashore and take charge of the Search. He directed that all US and NATO Submarines in The Atlantic, except SSBNs on Deterrent Patrol, to SURFACE immediately so we could proceed at Flank Speed without regards to Lane or Area assignments. (We were the only Submerged friendly boat in the Atlantic.) It was really hairy clearing baffles at Flank Speed to come up to communicate.  We dropped him off at the Sea Buoy and were assigned a search area inside the 100 Fathom Curve off Norfolk. We did find a sunken WWII German Submarine, but that is another story! I did have three friends lost on Scorpion. |
Posted By: oldsubs
Date Posted: 07 Jun 2021 at 5:39pm
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USS Sterlet (SS-392) arrived at Pearl Harbor on 29 May after a 7 month WesPac. I departed the same day for two weeks leave and to get married. The corpsman on USS Seadragon (SSN-584) was on Scorpion and as I read the newspaper reports of her loss I had thoughts of him. Upon arriving in my fiance's home town I met her family for the first time. Her father handed me the local paper that had the headline "Scorpion Lost" and said "is this what you do?" I though of several witty answers but simply said "yes sir". That was all that was said on the subject of my suitability for his daughter. We were married on the 8th of June 1968, 53 years ago. Not a year goes by that I don't think of how lucky I am, not only for the wonderful wife I have but of the incident that made the week a bit more solemn. I finished my career on Scamp (SSN-588) and though of Scorpion often. ------------- Be Well Oldsubs |
Posted By: bflynn
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2021 at 2:49pm
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My first chief on the Sculpin said that as a seaman, he was supposed to report to the Scorpion in '67, but caught the flu and was held back / reassigned to another boat. Being an old boat, we had systems which were modified because of Thresher and Scorpion, I remember drains in the MBT valves and a reroute of some ventilation. I didn't understand the second one until recently when the information about a hydrogen explosion came out.
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