![]() It was apparent we were under heavier ice here than any we had experienced before." While at the pole, Calvert and the crew planted an American Flag in a cairn they built out of ice blocks, and put a waterproof container in the cairn with a note commemorating the event. Calvert described the historic moment in his book, saying, "Slowly we blew the tanks and the Skate moved reluctantly upward. While the Skate was unable to surface on its first voyage to the pole, on 17 March 1959, she became the first submarine to surface at the North Pole. braving the hazards of the polar ice pack." Second visit to North Pole In recognition of the dangerous and historic feat, the Skate and its crew were given the Navy Unit Commendation award for ". The submarine made port calls in the Netherlands, Belgium, and France before returning to New London on 25 September 1958. Willis and minister of defence Nils Handal. ![]() There she was inspected by king Olav V of Norway, US ambassador Frances E. Īfter being denied access to visit Copenhagen in Denmark, she sailed into Bergen, Norway on 23 August. Skate did manage to surface and make contact with Drifting Ice Station Alpha at 85ºN, 300 nm away. For days we had searched in vain for a suitable opening to surface in." The closest was to make radio contact at the surface from a polynya around 30 nm away, but not to surface fully owing to the risk of damage from ice. Skate was unable to surface precisely at the Pole on the August voyage due to dangerous ice conditions as noted in the captain's 1960 book, Surface at the Pole: The Extraordinary Voyages of the USS Skate, where Calvert said, "Seldom had the ice seemed so heavy and so thick as it did in the immediate vicinity of the pole. (the week after USS Nautilus) became the second sea ship to reach the North Pole. During this time, she surfaced nine times through the ice, navigated over 2,400 miles (3,900 km) under it, and on 11 August, 9:47 pm EDT On 30 July, Skate sought the Arctic where she operated under the ice for 10 days. ![]() Before returning home, she had also visited ports in France and the Netherlands. Sixteen days later, the nuclear powered submarine set a course for the Isle of Portland, England. ![]() Skate conducted shakedown training out of New London, Connecticut until 29 January 1958, when she cruised to the Bermuda operating area, then returned to her home port on 8 February. Operational history USS Skate in August 1958, possibly at Drifting Ice Station Alfa USS Skate in the Dutch port of Rotterdam, March 1958 Strauss, and commissioned on 23 December 1957 with Commander James F. She was launched on, sponsored by Alice Hanauer Strauss, wife of Lewis L. The contract to build Skate was awarded to the Electric Boat division of General Dynamics on 18 July 1955, and her keel was laid in Groton, Connecticut, on 21 July 1955. ![]() She was the third nuclear submarine commissioned, the first to make a completely submerged trans-Atlantic crossing, the second submarine to reach the North Pole, and the first to surface there. USS Skate (SSN-578) was the third submarine of the United States Navy named for the skate, a type of ray, was the lead ship of the Skate class of nuclear submarines. New London, Connecticut, Submarine Tender USS Fulton (AS-11)ĭisposed of by submarine recycling 6 March 1995 ![]()
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