The USS Sam Rayburn (SSBN-635) was a United States Navy ballistic missile submarine that served from 1964 to 1983. Named after the late Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn, the vessel was the third ship of the United States Navy to bear the name.
The Sam Rayburn was one of the first submarines in the US Navy equipped with the Polaris A-3 missile, and was considered a technological marvel in its day. The vessel was designed to operate at depths of up to 800 feet and reach speeds of up to 20 knots while submerged.
The submarine was built by the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut and launched on October 31st, 1964. The Sam Rayburn was commissioned on June 4th, 1965 and served for 18 years, making a total of 15 deterrent patrols.
The vessel's specifications are as follows:
- Displacement: 7,250 tons (surfaced), 8,250 tons (submerged)
- Length: 425 feet
- Beam: 33 feet
- Draft: 31 feet
- Speed: 20 knots (submerged)
- Complement: 13 officers, 131 enlisted
- Armament: 16 Polaris A-3 missiles, 6 21" torpedo tubes
The Sam Rayburn was decommissioned on February 3, 1983 and struck from the Naval Vessel Register on the same day. The submarine was later scrapped in accordance with the SALT II treaty.
The USS Sam Rayburn was an important part of the US Navy's Cold War strategy and played a crucial role in the deterrence of nuclear war. Its service, along with that of other submarines like it, helped to maintain peace and stability during a tense and uncertain time in world history.
