USS Dallas (SSN-700)

Career
Awarded:	31 October 1973
Laid down:	9 October 1976
Launched:	28 April 1979
Commissioned:	18 July 1981
Fate:	Active in service as of 2008
Homeport:	Groton, Connecticut
General characteristics
Displacement:	6,900 tons
Length:	110.3 meters (362 feet)
Beam:	10 meters (33 feet)
Draft:	9.4 meters (31 feet)
Propulsion:	one S6G reactor
Complement:	14 officers, 113 enlisted
Motto:	First in Harm's Way (official)

USS Dallas (SSN-700), a Los Angeles-class submarine, is one of two ships of the United States Navy to be named for Dallas, Texas, although another two ships were scheduled but never completed. The contract to build Dallas was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut on 31 October 1973 and her keel was laid down on 9 October 1976. She was launched on 28 April 1979 sponsored by Mrs. William P. Clements, Jr., and commissioned on 18 July 1981, with Captain Donald R. Ferrier in command. Dallas was the first submarine of the SSN 688 class to be originally built with an all-digital fire control (tracking and weapon) system and sonar system. After commissioning, Dallas was attached to Submarine Development Squadron TWELVE, New London, Connecticut, where she was involved in many research and development projects. Since September 1988, Dallas has been a member of Submarine Squadron TWO, New London, Connecticut. During her time with Squadron TWO, she completed the first ever Depot Modernization Period and various overseas deployments. Dallas recently completed an Engineered Refueling Overhaul (ERO) at the Portsmouth Naval Ship Yard in Kittery, Maine. As a part of the overhaul, Dallas was fitted with a removeable Dry Deck Shelter configuration. This large chamber, fitted aft of the sail, has an array of air, water and hydraulic systems that allow Dallas to employ the latest submarine arsenal: the Swimmer Delivery Vehicle - a highly mobile and virtually undetectable means of carrying out special forces missions. Dallas has completed one deployment to the Indian Ocean, four Mediterranean Sea deployments, two Persian Gulf deployments, and seven deployments to the North Atlantic. On 27 August 1981 Dallas damaged her lower rudder when she ran aground while approaching the Atlantic Underwater Test and Evaluation Center site at Andros Island, Bahamas. The submarine worked herself free after several hours and returned on the surface to New London, Connecticut, for repairs.

Command Operations Reports

As filed by the ship's commanding officer with the U.S. Navy's Director of Naval History, these reports are available here for Dallas.

Awards

Dallas received two Meritorious Unit Commendations, two Navy Unit Commendations and was awarded the Battle Efficiency E for FY 1986, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1999 and 2000. Further recognition includes nomination for the 1993 Battenburg Cup as the best all-around ship in the fleet and the 1999 Engineering "E" and Medical "M".

In fiction

Dallas is also featured prominently in the novel and film adaptation of Tom Clancy's The Hunt for Red October, After surviving both an attack from Soviet Naval Aviation and an onboard saboteur, the Red October passes through an underwater route, where the USS Dallas, through the efforts of a diligent sonar operator, Ronald "Jonesy" Jones, locates it again. The arrival of Jack Ryan forces them to break contact with the sub, whose officers have meanwhile deduced that the Dallas had indeed found the characteristic signature of the Red October's drive, and was able to locate her.The ship is used in a more minor role in several other Clancy books; as such, the crew adopted the film's tagline "The Hunt Is On" as an unofficial ship's motto. For the film, USS Houston was the primary filmed submarine. The USS Louisville was used in one scene. USS Dallas is also mentioned in the BBC drama Threads as being sunk (presumably by Soviet forces) in the waters off Iran in the lead up to war. In the programme the US President pays tribute to the crew. The USS Dallas is also featured as the submarine commanded by Tessa's late father in Full Metal Panic!, it was the Dallas that was in peril and ended up being saved by Richard Merdukas. The Dallas also appears in the episode Small Victories of Stargate SG-1, where she is called upon to sink a Russian Foxtrot class submarine that has become infested with Replicators.

See also

See USS Dallas for other Navy ships of the same name. For the US Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) Dallas, see this link. This article includes information collected from the public domain sources Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships and Naval Vessel Register.