USS Triton Sail Park Dedication
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NEWS-01: USS Triton Sail Park Dedication
Submitted by: Pat Householder on 11/12/2011
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The dedication of the USS Triton Sail Park was held November 10, 2011 in Richland WA, exactly fifty two years after her commissioning.
Triton's massive sail stands 26 feet high and 67 feet long and includes her conning tower, which was open for this occasion.
When commissioned, USS Triton was the largest submarine ever built. She was decommissioned in 1969, the first U.S. nuclear submarine to be taken out of service and her recycling was completed in November 2009.
Many crew members who had served on the Triton, including some who made the trip around the world, attended with their families, as well as many other submariners, all excited to see and tour the sail of the Triton, which was specially opened for the occasion.
Originally built as a Radar Picket sub, the USS Triton submarine was the first to circumnavigate around the world submerged, and is the only U.S. submarine built with two nuclear reactors, and the last to have a separate conning tower, twin screws or a after torpedo room.
Brief dedication remarks were made by Bob Rawlins, CAPT Ret, 3rd CO of USS Triton and Mare Island Base member, Harold Weston, MMCM(SS) Ret, COB from 1961-67 and a member of the Hampton Roads Base, and by Al Steele of San Diego, TM3(SS) during Triton's trip around the world and a retired CDR.
To see pictures of the dedication, follow the link below.