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Career
Awarded:	16 December 1968
Laid down:	5 June 1971
Launched:	4 August 1973
Commissioned:	21 December 1974
Fate:	submarine recycling
Stricken:	11 July 1990
General characteristics
Displacement:	5813 tons surfaced, 6480 tons submerged
Length:	365 ft (111 m)
Beam:	32 ft (9.8 m)
Draft:
Powerplant:	S5W reactor
Speed:	18 knots (33 km/h) surfaced, 23 knots (43 km/h) submerged
Depth:	1300 ft (400 m)
Complement:	12 officers, 109 enlisted
Armament:	4 × 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes

USS Glenard P. Lipscomb (SSN-685), a unique submarine, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Congressman Glenard P. Lipscomb (1915–1970).

Lipscomb was the Navy's second design using a turbo-electric power plant similar to USS Tullibee. While this design is quieter, with a displacement of 6,400 tons and a length of 365 feet, it is heavier and larger than conventional drive trains. Those disadvantages, along with reliability issues, led to the decision not to use this design for the follow-on Los Angeles-class submarines. Other than the engine room, Lipscomb was generally similar to the Sturgeon-class, and was a fully combat-capable attack submarine.

Construction of Lipscomb began on 5 June 1971 at the Electric Boat shipyard in Groton, Connecticut. The Lipscomb is a nuclear powered electric drive submarine. Quietness was one of the most important features of the new ship. It was named after Glenard Paul Lipscomb (August 19, 1915 - February 1, 1970), who served as a Congressman from the 24th District of California from 1953 until his death (intestinal cancer) in 1970. Glenard Lipscomb was a long-time colleague and friend of Melvin R. Laird. Secretary of Defense Laird spoke at the keel laying ceremony and was presented with this model in memory of the event. (Ref Press Release 497-71).

Lipscomb was launched 4 August 1973, sponsored by Mrs. Glenard P. Lipscomb, and was commissioned on 21 December 1974 with Commander James F. Caldwell in command. Speaking at the commissioning was Melvin R. Laird She was decommissioned and struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 11 July 1990 and disposed of by submarine recycling at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard on 1 December 1997.

Background: The Lipscomb was the US Navy’s second prototype design using a turbo-electric power plant similar to the Tullibee. The Lipscomb was generally similar to the SSN-637 Sturgeon class, apart from the use of submarine turbo-electric drive [TEDS] rather than the standard geared drive. Intended to test the potential advantages of this propulsion system for providing quieter submarine operations, the substantially larger and heavier machinery also resulted in slower speeds. Those disadvantages, along with reliability issues, led to the decision not to utilize this design on the follow-on SSN-688 Los Angeles class of submarines. Although serving as a test platform, the "Lipscomb Fish" was a fully combat-capable attack submarine.

Captain James F. Caldwell, Sr. - Commissioning Skipper. Obituary->[1]

This article includes information collected from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

• navsource.org: USS Glenard P. Lipscomb (SSN-685)