USS Charlotte (SSN-766)

USS Charlotte (SSN-766), a Los Angeles-class submarine, is the fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named for Charlotte, North Carolina. 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 17 August 1990. Sponsored by Mrs. Mary McComack, she was launched on 3 October 1992 and commissioned on 16 September 1994. She arrived at her homeport of Pearl Harbor on 17 November 1995.[1]

For other ships with the same name, see USS Charlotte.
Charlotte carrying an Advanced SEAL Delivery System minisub off the coast of Oahu
History
United States
Name: USS Charlotte
Namesake: The city of Charlotte, North Carolina
Awarded: 6 February 1987
Builder: Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company
Laid down: 17 August 1990
Launched: 3 October 1992
Sponsored by: Mrs. Mary McCormack
Commissioned: 16 September 1994
Homeport: Pearl Harbor
Motto: Silent Stinger
Status: in active service
Badge:
General characteristics
Class and 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: S6G nuclear reactor
Complement: 12 officers, 98 men
Armament:

History
Charlotte at the north pole

On 29 November 2005, Charlotte arrived in Norfolk, Virginia, having taken the northern route from Pearl Harbor, under the Arctic ice cap. Along the way, she surfaced at the North Pole through 61 inches of ice, a record for a Los Angeles-class submarine.[2]

On 24 October 2007, Charlotte returned to Pearl Harbor from Norfolk Naval Shipyard after nearly two years in a Depot Modernization Period.[3]

Charlotte has completed a total of five Western Pacific deployments.[4][5][6][7][8] In February 1998, she was deployed to the Persian Gulf as part of a multinational military buildup of naval, air, and land forces that included more than 30 American warships and two carrier battle groups.[4] Charlotte and the other American and British warships were deployed as a deterrent in case Iraqi President Saddam Hussein failed to honor his commitment to the United Nations to allow arms inspectors into Iraq.[9] She completed a six-month deployment to the Western Pacific on 13 May 2016.[8]

Awards
  • (3) Meritorious Unit Commendation
  • (2) Battle "E"
  • (2) Secretary of the Navy Letter of Commendation
  • (2) Navy Unit Commendation
  • (1) Engineering "E"
  • (1) DC Red

Charlotte in fiction

In Tom Clancy's book Debt of Honor, USS Charlotte is sunk by the Japanese sub Harushio along with her sister ship USS Asheville.

USS Charlotte also makes an appearance in Dan Brown's novel Deception Point, where it plays an important role taking covert missions to the Arctic.

USS Charlotte is featured alongside sister ship USS Dallas in the John Ringo novel Under A Graveyard Sky.

References
  1. Rodgers, Justin (6 January 2016). "USS Charlotte Visits Sasebo During Indo-Asia-Pacific Deployment". Submarine Force Pacific. U.S. Navy. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  2. Dave Ozeck, Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet Public Affairs. "USS Charlotte Achieves Milestone During Under-Ice Transit". Retrieved 25 October 2007.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. Cynthia Clark (25 October 2007). "USS Charlotte Returns to Pearl Harbor".
  4. "U.S. Strength in the Persian Gulf". The Washington Post. 24 February 1998. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  5. Cooke, Steven (27 May 2004). 040527-N-1995C-043 (photograph). Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  6. Gutridge, Ronald (1 June 2011). "USS Charlotte Returns from Western Pacific Deployment". Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  7. Swink, Jason (3 October 2013). "USS Charlotte Returns to Pearl Harbor". America's Navy. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  8. "USS Charlotte returns to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam". Navaltoday.com. 16 May 2016. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  9. McIntyre, Jamie (24 February 1998). "U.S. keeping troops in Gulf, just in case". CNN. Retrieved 11 September 2018.

This article includes information collected from the public domain sources Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships and Naval Vessel Register.

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