USS Simon Bolivar SSBN-641 Submarine Model (Black Hull). Sail again with the crew of the USS Simon Bolivar SSBN-641 in this handcrafted wooden submarine model. Each piece is carved from wood and handpainted to provide a piece youll love. Length – 20 inch. Construction and commissioning Simon Bolivar’s keel was laid down on 17 April 1963 by the Newport News Shipbuilding of Newport News, Virginia. She was launched on 22 August 1964, sponsored by Mrs. Mann, and commissioned on 29 October 1965 with Commander Charles H. Griffiths commanding the Blue Crew and Commander Charles A. Orem commanding the Gold Crew. Service history During late December 1965 and most of January 1966, Simon Bolivar underwent demonstration and shakedown operations. The Gold Crew successfully fired a Polaris A-3 ballistic missile off the coast of Cape Kennedy, Florida, on 17 January 1966, and the Blue Crew completed a successful Polaris missile firing on 31 January. The Gold Crew continued shakedown operations in the Caribbean Sea in February. The following month, Simon Bolivar’s home port was changed to Charleston, South Carolina, where she was assigned to Submarine Squadron 18, and minor deficiencies were corrected during a shipyard availability period. In April 1966 Simon Bolivar got underway and went to alert status for the first of more than 70 strategic deterrent patrols spanning four decades and three major submarine launched ballistic missile weapons systems (Polaris, Poseidon, Trident). During Simon Bolivar’s commissioned period she operated in the Atlantic and Mediterranean from three sites: Holy Loch, Scotland; Rota, Spain; and the continental United States, mainly Charleston, SC and Kings Bay, GA. Refit sites consisted of a submarine tender, floating dry dock and complexes of piers and warehouses. At the Scotland site, the entire refit site was anchored out in Holy Loch. Simon Bolivar departed Newport News on 12 May 1972 for post-overhaul shakedown operations and refresher training for her two crews, which lasted until 16 September 1972. By the end of 1972, she had resumed deterrent patrols while operating from the SSBN refit site in Rota, Spain serviced by submarine tender USS Simon Lake (AS-33) as part of Submarine Squadron 16. During the summer of 1974, Simon Bolivar completed what was to be her final refit at the Rota SSBN site. She then went to alert status for her 24th deterrent patrol. Seventy four days after departing Rota and submerging, Simon Bolivar surfaced off the US east coast in October 1974. Simon Bolivar had now been assigned to the Charleston refit site and was again part of Submarine Squadron 18. Submarine tender USS Hunley (AS-31) provided refit and re-supply services. Patrol areas were normally in the North Atlantic. In 1974 Simon Bolivar was awarded both a Battle Effectiveness Award (Battle “E”) and the Providence Plantation Award for most outstanding fleet ballistic missile submarine in the United States Atlantic Fleet. She also was awarded consecutive Battle “E”‘s in 1975 and 1976. During a 1976 strategic patrol, a crew member experienced a life-threatening medical emergency. Simon Bolivar continued a high speed surface run until the evacuation point was reached enabling a transfer of the seriously ill crewman. In February 1979, following her 40th deterrent patrol, Simon Bolivar entered Portsmouth Naval Shipyard at Kittery, Maine, for overhaul and conversion of her ballistic missile system to support Trident C-4 ballistic missiles. Simon Bolivar continued to make deterrent patrols, undergoing occasional refits at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay Georgia, and was awarded her 4th and 5th Battle “E”‘s in 1982 and 1990. She successfully launched a Trident test missile in the summer of 1983. Master Chief Hospital Corpsman HMCM (SS) William R. Charette served as an Independent Duty Corpsman onboard Simon Bolivar. He was a recipient of the U. Military’s highest decoration for valor, the Medal of Honor. Known as “Doc” to his shipmates, he was held in the highest regard during his tour of duty aboard Simon Bolivar. Deactivation, decommissioning, and disposal Deactivated while still in commission in September 1994, Simon Bolivar was both decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 8 February 1995. She was one of the last SSBN’s of the original 41 for Freedom. Her scrapping via the U. Sorry, our items are NOT available for pick-up. No additional information at this time. You might also like. VP-10 Red Lancers Plaque. The item “USS Simon Bolivar SSBN-641 Submarine Model (Black Hull)” is in sale since Friday, October 8, 2021. This item is in the category “Collectibles\Transportation\Boats & Ships\Military\Models”. The seller is “madfoxpilot” and is located in Seymour, Tennessee. 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