page_title: USS Tautog (SSN-639)
section_title: 1980–1997
hierarchical_section_title: USS Tautog (SSN-639) / Service history / 1980–1997
caption_attribution_description: English: 639 surfaced in arctic
context_page_description: USS Tautog (SSN-639), a Sturgeon-class attack submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the Tautog, a wrasse commonly found along the Northern Atlantic coast. The submarine was in service from 17 August 1968 to 31 March 1997.
context_section_description: Following an intense period of training and operational exercises, Tautog again deployed on WESTPAC in March 1980. Tautog met every commitment placed on her during this period of international tension, and was awarded the Navy Expeditionary Medal for her performance. In September 1980, the ship was awarded the Battle Efficiency "E", Anti Submarine Warfare "A" and Engineering "E" for excellence displayed during the previous year. Port visits to Diego Garcia; the Philippines; Perth, Australia; and Guam were enjoyed by all hands. Tautog also received a Meritorious Unit Commendation for service on or around 1 June 1980.
  1981 found the ship and crew rested and ready to go. After a vigorous training cycle, Tautog sailed west once more in support of the Seventh Fleet in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. She became the first nuclear submarine to transit the Malacca Straits, surfaced and visited Singapore, the Philippines, Australia, Diego Garcia and Japan. Later in 1982 Tautog earned her third consecutive Engineering "E" and a Damage Control "DC" for excellence in Engineering and Damage Control.
  In winter 1982, Tautog joined one of her sister ships, the USS Aspro, and journeyed to the frozen reaches of the North. She operated beneath the ice pack for two months and conducted a dual surfacing maneuver at the North Pole with USS Aspro. It was said to be the second rendezvous by two U.S. submarines at the pole and the first during winter.
  During summer 1983, Tautog once again found herself operating under the Arctic ice pack. To celebrate her arrival at the Pole, the crew had a picnic, a tug-of-war and dog sled races "around the world".
  In 1984, following a two-month shipyard availability, Tautog entered a vigorous operational crew training period. In the spring of 1984, Tautog again journeyed west in support of Seventh Fleet operations. Tautog operated extensively in the Northern Pacific, making port visits to the Philippines, Thailand, and Japan. Again, Tautog was awarded the Navy Expeditionary Medal.
  Tautog completed a Western Pacific deployment in November 1984 upon her return to Pearl Harbor.  After completing a standdown and a post-deployment upkeep period, she hosted prospective commanding officer operations in February 1985 and spent a three-day liberty period at Lahaina, Hawaii, on Maui.
  In the summer of 1985 Tautog joined the attack submarine USS New York City (SSN-696) in hosting prospective commanding officer operations.
  In October 1985, Tautog left Pearl Harbor for a Western Pacific and Indian Ocean deployment, visiting Guam; Singapore (for Christmas); Diego Garcia twice; Perth, Australia; the Philippines; and Chinhae, South Korea.  On her return to Pearl Harbor Tautog picked up an Operational Reactor Safeguard Examination team.
  During the Tautog's time in Subic Bay, Ferdinand Marcos was deposed as President of the Philippines and Corazon Aquino was declared the new president. Tautog finished its refit and continued on to finish its WestPac.
  Once back in Pearl Harbor in April 1986, Tautog had a change of command ceremony in which Commander Walter P. Stuermann relieved Commander T. R. Kent as commanding officer.
  In October 1986, Tautog began a non-refueling overhaul at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington. After extensive modifications and testing, Tautog returned to her homeport of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on 30 May 1989.
  Tautog departed on her eighth Western Pacific deployment in May 1990 visiting Singapore, Hong Kong, Subic Bay (Philippines), and Yokosuka, Japan. The ship experienced a massive typhoon which prevented her from entering Subic Bay for almost a week.
  Back in Pearl Harbor in November 1990, Tautog enjoyed the holidays and began preparing for her third arctic deployment. In April 1991 Tautog once again joined her sister ship, the USS Asprofor three weeks of Arctic under-ice operations, ending in a liberty port in San Francisco. After the exercise, Tautog performed an emergency main ballast tank blow from her test depth.
  In summer 1991, Tautog hosted the JMSDF submarine Akishio on her mid-Pac cruise.  
caption: Tautog surfaced in Arctic
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