USS Montpelier (SSN-765)

For other ships with the same name, see USS Montpelier.

USS Montpelier (SSN-765), a Los Angeles-class submarine, is the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for Montpelier, Vermont. The contract to build her was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia on 6 February 1987 and her keel was laid down on 19 May 1989. She was christened 6 April 1991, launched on 23 August 1991 sponsored by Mrs. Nancy Hayes Sununu, and commissioned on 13 March 1993 with Commander Victor Fiebig in command.^{[not verified in body]}

Sailors aboard USS Montpelier prepare to moor at Naval Station Norfolk in 2003
History
United States
Name	USS Montpelier
Namesake	The City of Montpelier, Vermont
Awarded	6 February 1987
Builder	Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company
Laid down	19 May 1989
Launched	23 August 1991
Commissioned	13 March 1993
Homeport	Naval Station Norfolk (Currently Norfolk Naval Shipyard for overhaul)
Motto	Audaces Fortuna Juvat ("Fortune Favors the Bold")
Nickname(s)	"Mighty Monty"
Status	In active service
Badge
General characteristics
Class & type	Los Angeles-class submarine
Displacement	6,000 long tons (6,096 t) light 6,927 long tons (7,038 t) full 927 long tons (942 t) dead
Length	110.3 m (361 ft 11 in)
Beam	10 m (32 ft 10 in)
Draft	9.4 m (30 ft 10 in)
Propulsion	1 × S6G PWR nuclear reactor with D2W core (165 MW), HEU 93.5%[1][2] 2 × steam turbines (33,500) shp 1 × shaft 1 × secondary propulsion motor 325 hp (242 kW)
Complement	12 officers, 98 men
Armament	4 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes 12 × vertical launch Tomahawk missiles

Service history

USS Montpelier was the first submarine to launch Tomahawk cruise missiles in Operation Iraqi Freedom. She would go on to fire all 20 missiles earning her a "clean sweep" under the command of CDR William J. Frake.

On 27 May 2004 Montpelier went through an 18-month Depot Modernization Period (DMP) at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. The ship and crew completed this period three months ahead of schedule and, after successfully completing sea trials returned to their home port in Virginia.^[3] The boat entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard on 5 February 2010 for modernization, maintenance, and upgrades, expected to cost around $35 million for 640,000-man hours, and included changing the submarine's buoyancy characteristics and upgrading its sonar capabilities. The work was completed and the sub returned to the fleet on 26 July 2010, eight days earlier than scheduled.^[4]

Accident

On 13 October 2012, USS Montpelier collided with the cruiser USS San Jacinto off the east coast of the United States near Florida. Both ships were conducting a training exercise at the time of the incident. No one on board either ship was injured.^[5] The sub's captain, Commander Thomas Winter, was relieved and the sub has since undergone $70 million in repairs.^[6]

Awards

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medals	23–31 March 1997
	1 April – 24 June 1997
Armed Forces Service Medals	4–28 April 1995
	13 March – 3 June 1995
NATO Medal	March – June 1995
Navy Unit Commendation	March – June 1995 January–July 2003
Navy Expeditionary Medal	July – December 1998
Arctic Service Ribbon	July – December 1998