The USS Nathanael Greene (SSBN-636) was a James Madison-class fleet ballistic missile submarine commissioned into the United States Navy in December 1964. Constructed at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, her keel was laid on 21 May 1962, with Commander Lawrence Dennis Ballou overseeing her construction. Launched on 12 May 1964 and sponsored by Mrs. Neander W. Wade, she was commissioned under the command of Commander Robert E. Crispin (Blue Crew) and Commander William M. Cossaboom (Gold Crew). Designed as a ballistic missile submarine, Nathanael Greene was initially equipped with Polaris missiles, later converted to carry Poseidon missiles between 1970 and 1971 at Newport News Shipbuilding. After her conversion, she underwent testing at Cape Canaveral and conducted her first deterrent patrol in March 1972 from Holy Loch, Scotland. Throughout her service, she experienced notable incidents. On January 29, 1970, she ran aground in thick fog while entering port, but was refloated after approximately seven hours. On August 11, 1984, while returning to Holy Loch, she lost her propeller in the Irish Sea. She was subsequently repaired at Faslane Naval Base, where a broken main shaft and propeller were replaced after a 12-day dry dock period. Her operational history was marred by a more serious accident on 13 March 1986, when she ran aground again in the Irish Sea, sustaining significant damage to her rudder and ballast tanks. This incident led to her deactivation in May 1987, partly due to the damage and in accordance with SALT II treaty limitations. She was decommissioned on 15 December 1986, struck from the Naval Vessel Register in January 1987, and eventually scrapped in 2000 after entering the Navy's Nuclear-Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program. Today, Nathanael Greene’s sail is preserved as a memorial at Port Canaveral, Florida, honoring her role and that of the fleet ballistic missile submarines during the Cold War era.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.