USS Benjamin Franklin SSBN-640 Submarine Model (Black Hull). Sail again with the crew of the USS Benjamin Franklin SSBN-640 in this handcrafted wooden submarine model. Each piece is carved from wood and handpainted to provide a piece you’ll love. Length – 20 inches. US Naval Veteran Owned Business. Construction and commissioning The contract to build Benjamin Franklin was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut, on 1 November 1962 and her keel was laid down there on 25 May 1963. She was launched on 5 December 1964, sponsored by Mrs. Chaplin, and commissioned on 22 October 1965, with Captain Donald M. Miller commanding the Blue Crew and Commander Ross N. Williams commanding the Gold Crew. Service history On 6 December 1965 the Gold Crew successfully launched a Polaris A-3 ballistic missile in close coordination with an orbital pass of the Gemini 7 astronauts Frank Borman and Jim Lovell. Decommissioning and disposal Benjamin Franklin was decommissioned on 23 November 1993 and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register the same day.