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Career
Awarded:	1 November 1962
Laid down:	23 November 1963
Launched:	22 May 1965
Commissioned:	16 April 1966
Fate:	submarine recycling
Stricken:	8 July 1999
General Characteristics
Displacement:	6527 tons light, 7345 tons full, 818 tons dead
Length:	129.5 meters (425 feet)
Beam:	10 meters (33 feet)
Draft:	9.4 meters (31 feet)
Powerplant:	S5W reactor
Complement:	14 officers, 129 men
Armament:	16 Polaris or Poseidon missiles, four 21-inch torpedo tubes

USS James K. Polk (SSBN-645), a Benjamin Franklin-class submarine, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for the eleventh President of the United States. Her keel was laid down on 23 November 1963. She was launched on 22 May 1965 by the Electric Boat Division of the General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut sponsored by Mrs. Horacio Rivero, Jr., wife of Admiral Rivero, the Vice Chief of Naval Operations, and commissioned on 16 April 1966 with Commander R.M. Douglass commanding the Blue Crew and Commander F.D. McMullen, Jr. commanding the Gold Crew.

James K. Polk sailed to Charleston, South Carolina, in September 1966 to load out Polaris missiles for her initial deterrent patrol. After completion of the shakedown period, she operated in the Atlantic Ocean and completed 19 strategic deterrent patrols from September 1966 until May 1971.

James K. Polk conducted her first overhaul at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company in Virginia for nuclear refueling and conversion of the weapons system to the Poseidon missile system in July 1971. She completed her conversion in late 1972 and commenced a rigorous schedule of sea trials and exercises. These events culminated in the Demonstration and Shakedown Operation (DASO) of the Poseidon missile system. The DASO afforded the opportunity to test the ship's system, train the crew and launch a Poseidon C-3 missile from the submarine.

James K. Polk commenced Poseidon deterrent patrols in the Atlantic Ocean in May 1973. She conducted her second overhaul at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard after completing her 50th deterrent patrol in September 1981. The ship completed overhaul in 1983 and conducted seven more successful patrols.

James K. Polk returned to Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in January 1986 for a third overhaul after completing her 58th deterrent patrol. She departed Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in November 1988 and sailed south for commencement of her Demonstration and Shakedown Operations (DASO). May 1989 marked the beginning of her final series of Poseidon strategic deterrent patrols.

James K. Polk celebrated her 25th year of commissioned service in April 1991 and completed her 66th and final strategic deterrent patrol in August of that year. She completed a nineteen month shipyard conversion which removed her 16 Poseidon missiles in March 1994 and converted her hull classification symbol from SSBN-645 to SSN-645. Since conversion, she has completed two extended deployments to the Mediterranean Sea with Dry Deck shelters and has participated in numerous SPECWAR and NATO exercises.

On 9 January 1999, James K. Polk was deactivated at Norfolk, Virginia. On 8 July 1999 she was decommissioned at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and entered the Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program.

References

This article includes information collected from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships and the boat's "Welcome Aboard" pamphlet.