USS Houston (SSN-713)
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| Missing image USS_Houston_(SSN-713).jpg USS Houston (SSN-713) | |
| Career | 
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|---|---|
| Awarded: | 1 August 1975 |
| Laid down: | 29 January 1979 |
| Launched: | 21 March 1981 |
| Commissioned: | 25 September 1982 |
| Fate: | Template:Active in service |
| Homeport: | Apra Harbor, Guam |
| General Characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 5744 tons light, 6103 tons full, 359 tons dead |
| Length: | 110.3 meters (362 feet) |
| Beam: | 10 meters (33 feet) |
| Draft: | 9.7 meters (32 feet) |
| Propulsion: | one S6G reactor |
| Complement: | 12 officers, 98 men |
| Motto: | Semper Vigilans |
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USS Houston (SSN-713), a Los Angeles-class submarine, was the fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named for Houston, Texas. The contract to build her was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia on 1 August 1975 and her keel was laid down on 29 January 1979. She was launched on 21 March 1981 sponsored by Barbara Bush, First Lady of the United States and wife of George H. W. Bush, and commissioned on 25 September 1982, with Captain J.H. Mench in command.
- seven years of history go here
Houston is an experienced movie actor, initially starring in a Navy recruiting film and then getting her "big break" in June 1989 with a part in "The Hunt for Red October". Her stunt work included a dramatic emergency surface maneuver at the movie's climax. However, that summer and autumn were plagued with mishaps. In May, before getting involved with the movie, a broken valve caused a depth excursion. Then on 14 June, during the movie shoot, Houston snagged a tow cable, sinking the tugboat Barcona in the San Pedro Channel near Santa Catalina Island, and drowning a tugboat crewmember. Then, two days later, after filming wrapped, Houston was en route to San Diego, California when she was caught in the net of the fishing boat Fortuna. The nets were destroyed, but no injuries were reported.
On 1 July, Houston left port for a training run. As soon as she submerged, though, seawater began flooding from the main air vents. The boat took a sharp up-angle and began driving toward the surface, but lost headway to the weight of the water she had taken on and began to slide backward. Seawater reached the battery and chlorine began to rise from the battery well.
The full power of the Houston’s engines restored headway and drove her to the surface. As soon as she broached, however, she lost her up-angle, and the thousands of pounds of water in her bilges rushed forward. The boat pitched forward, taking on a steep down-angle. Pulled by the weight of the water and pushed by the full power of her engines, Houston dove precipitously.
The engines were reversed in a crash-back maneuver and an emergency ballast tank blow was performed. Houston’s plunge slowed, reversed, and she shot up again, this time remaining on the surface.
Houston returned to port just over six hours after having left. The main snorkel valve had failed to close properly. An audible signal that would indicate the valve's opening and closing had been disabled. Eight crewmen were psychologically disabled by this experience and were dismissed from the Submarine Service.
Houston’s troubles were not over. On 1 August, an electrical fire ignited in the engineering spaces. In September, because of a navigation error, the boat had a close call with a torpedo launched from a helicopter in a training exercise. In November, a navigation error caused the loss of the boat's towed sonar array.
- 15 years of history go here
September 2000: Houston lost her anchor while attempting to anchor off the coast of Pattaya Beach, Thailand for a port call. In order for the crew to get a few days of much needed liberty, the crew was divided and took turns steaming the ship around the bay while their counterparts were ashore.
In June of 2001 Houston was conducting normal training operations in the Pacific off the coast of Washington state. While performing a drill in which the ship goes from full-speed-ahead to full-speed-astern while submerged near the surface, Houston encountered a serious problem. All went well, despite the (normal) tremendous shaking, noise, and stress on the ship- until the point when the ship actually started reversing direction. At this point, since the ship was moving backwards, to produce a desired movement on the ship the steering action would need to be the reverse of that required for forward movement. The personnel navigating the ship at the time failed to realize this and continued to steer the ship as if they were driving forward. The stern of the ship began to rise, and consequently, in an effort to maintain a level bubble, the personnel navigating steered the ship in a manner that would correct the ships angle, had the ship been moving forward. By failing to use reverse steering, the stern of the ship to accelerated up toward the surface. This was compounded by the fact that the ship was accelerating in the astern direction and gaining speed. Before the problem could be corrected, the ship had attained a 70 degree down-angle and her screw broached the surface while still turning at a high rpm. The ship conducted a partial emergency ballast tank blow and rectified the situation.
Houston underwent an extensive overhaul at Pugest Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, WA, commencing September of 2001. The upgrades included reactor refueling, as well as navigation, fire control and sonar upgrades. In December of 2004, Houston departed PSNS for her new homeport of Apra Harbor, Guam.
Houston has earned two Navy Unit Commendations and a Meritorious Unit Commendation.
See USS Houston for other ships of the same name.
References
This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register and http://www.houston.navy.mil/.
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