USS Drum ( SSN - 677 ) USS " Drum " ( SSN - 677 ) , a " Sturgeon " class attack submarine , was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the drum , also known as the croaker or hardhead , any of various fishes of the " Sciaenidae " family , capable of making a drum ming noise and best known on the Atlantic coast of North America . Construction and commissioning . The contract to build " Drum " was awarded to Mare Island Naval Shipyard at Vallejo , California , on 15 March 1967 , and her keel was laid down there on 20 August 1968 . She was launched on 23 May 1970 , sponsored by Mrs . William F . Bringle , wife of Vice Admiral William F . Bringle , commander of the United States Seventh Fleet , and commissioned on 15 April 1972 with Commander James L . Willis in command . Service history . 1970s . After commissioning , " Drum " conducted initial testing in Puget Sound before arriving at her home port of San Diego , California , on 22 May 1972 . " Drum " then commenced six months of operational tests and fleet training exercises in Puget Sound , the Hawaiian Islands , and off San Diego to become a unit of the United States Pacific Fleet Submarine Force . After completing these tests and exercises , " Drum " returned to Mare Island Naval Shipyard in November 1972 for a one month of post - shakedown testing . After completing the post - shakedown testing and follow - on operations in Southern California , " Drum " deployed in March 1973 on her first Western Pacific deployment ; it also was the longest deployment of her career , lasting eight months before she returned to San Diego in November 1973 . On 10 July 1974 , Commander D . C . Tarquin , USN , relieved Commander Willis as commanding officer . " Drum " began her second deployment to the Western Pacific at the end of 1974 , visiting Japan , Hong Kong , and the Philippines before returning to San Diego in May 1975 . " Drum " was awarded her first Navy Unit Commendation for her successes during this deployment . In June 1976 , " Drum " departed San Diego for her third Western Pacific deployment , visiting Hong Kong , Japan , the Philippines , and Guam , and returned to San Diego in November 1976 . She was awarded her first Meritorious Unit Commendation for her successes during this deployment . On 19 November 1976 , Commander M . D . Bradley , USN , relieved Commander Tarquin as commanding officer of " Drum " . 1977 began with " Drum " changing her home port to Bremerton , Washington , and entering Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for Mark 48 torpedo impact testing and a non - refueling overhaul . She completed the overhaul in April 1978 , ahead of schedule and under budget . She spent the next several months conducting operations in Puget Sound , including visits to Seattle and Everett in Washington and Esquimalt , British Columbia , Canada , until returning to San Diego , which once again became her home port , in July 1978 . From her return to San Diego until April 1979 , " Drum " completed the rigorous training , testing , and loadout necessary prior to a deployment . She then deployed to the Western Pacific again from May to October 1979 . During this deployment , she completed a special operation for which she was awarded her second Meritorious Unit Commendation and made port visits to Guam , Thailand , and the Philippines . After returning to San Diego in October 1979 , she engaged in local operations and completed two months of repairs and alterations at Mare Island Naval Shipyard . 1980s . In May 1980 , after " Drum " returned to San Diego , Commander Michael F . Oliver , USN , relieved Commander Bradley as commanding officer . For the next several months , " Drum " operated in the San Diego area . She began her next Western Pacific deployment in October 1980 , which included visits to Guam and the Philippines . This deployment lasted until mid - April 1981 , when she returned to San Diego . In the course of that year the Soviet submarine K - 324 collided with an unidentified American submarine , believed to be of the Los Angeles class , in the Peter the Great Bay , not far from Vladivostok . At least one source identifies this submarine as USS " Drum " . In November 1981 , " Drum " again departed San Diego for the Western Pacific , visiting South Korea , spending Christmas in Japan , and returning home at the beginning of 1982 . She then conducted operations off Southern California and visited San Francisco , California , before starting another period of repairs and alterations in San Diego in the summer of 1982 . Upon completion of repairs , " Drum " concluded 1982 preparing for her next deployment . Shortly after Christmas 1982 , " Drum " deployed to the Western Pacific . During this deployment , " Drum " visited the Philippines , Australia , and Japan , and also conducted operations in the Indian Ocean , during which she visited Diego Garcia . She returned to San Diego in June 1983 . On 12 August 1983 , Commander Harold L . Cox , USN , relieved Commander Oliver as commanding officer . After a routine standdown period at the end of this deployment , " Drum " participated in Advanced Capability ( ADCAP ) Mark 48 torpedo testing exercises at the tracking range at Canadian Forces Maritime Experimental and Test Ranges , Nanoose Bay , British Columbia . In May , 1984 , " Drum " left San Diego for a Western Pacific deployment , stopping in Hawaii for RIMPAC ’ 84 , a multi - national naval exercise , then continued west with visits to the Philippines , Japan , Guam , and Thailand . " Drum " returned to San Diego in November 1984 . 1985 began with local operations off Southern California and operations in Puget Sound , including a port visit to Esquimalt , British Columbia . In October 1985 , " Drum " changed her home port to Bremerton , Washington , for the second time to begin her second and last overhaul – a refueling overhaul – at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard . On 18 April 1986 , Commander Donald L . Winchell , Jr . relieved Commander Cox , becoming the sixth commanding officer of " Drum " . The refueling overhaul was completed in November 1987 , and " Drum " returned to San Diego . which again became her home port , and became a unit of her new squadron , Submarine Squadron 11 . " Drum " spent most of 1988 in local operations and preparation for her next deployment . Nine months after completion of her refueling overhaul , " Drum " left San Diego for two months of independent operations , for which she was awarded her third Meritorious Unit Commendation . On 21 February 1989 , Commander Bruce B . Engelhardt , USN , relieved Commander Winchell as commanding officer . In mid - May 1989 , " Drum " departed on her tenth deployment to the Western Pacific , for which " Drum " was awarded her second Navy Unit Commendation . The deployment included visits to Lahaina , Hawaii , Maui and Pearl Harbor in Hawaii and to Japan . " Drum " returned to San Diego in August 1989 and continued operations in the Southern California area for the remainder of 1989 . 1990s . 1990 began with repairs and alterations that were completed in March . On 1 April 1990 , " Drum " transferred from Submarine Squadron 11 to Submarine Squadron 3 . " Drum " participated in RIMPAC ’ 90 , which included a port call at Lahaina , Maui , in the spring of 1990 . After a summer of preparations , " Drum " departed San Diego in September 1990 for another deployment to the Western Pacific , during which she made port calls at Guam , Japan , and Singapore . " Drum " was awarded her fourth Meritorious Unit Commendation for operations conducted during this deployment , and while deployed , was awarded the Battle Efficiency Award ( Battle “ E ” ) for Submarine Squadron 3 for her outstanding performance during Fiscal Year 1990 . " Drum " returned to San Diego in March 1991 . In August 1991 , " Drum " commenced independent operations . She returned to San Diego in late September 1991 . In October 1991 , she participated in San Franciscos Fleet Week 91 . " Drum " was awarded the Battle “ E ” for Submarine Squadron 3 , for the second consecutive year for outstanding performance in Fiscal Year 1991 . On 22 November 1991 , Commander Wayne A . Thornton relieved Commander Engelhardt , becoming " Drum " s eighth commanding officer . In February 1992 , " Drum " departed on another deployment to the Western Pacific . Port visits included Pearl Harbor , Japan , Guam , Singapore , and Australia , and she completed a transit of the inner passage of the Great Barrier Reef . During this deployment , she was awarded her the fifth Meritorious Unit Commendation . She returned to San Diego in August 1992 , then hosted the first tour of a U . S . nuclear submarine by senior Russian naval officers and dignitaries . " Drum " departed San Diego on her next Western Pacific deployment on 27 December 1993 . During this deployment , she visited Guam , Japan , and New Caledonia . On 8 August 1994 , Commander Steve Clark Hall relieved Commander Thornton to become " Drum " s ninth commanding officer . Later in 1994 , " Drum " participated in San Franciscos Fleet Week 94 and made a port visit to Astoria , Oregon . On 13 February 1995 , " Drum " departed San Diego for her thirteenth and last deployment to the Western Pacific , which included a visit to Guam . While leaving port in Hong Kong during the deployment , she collided with the Panamanian - registered cargo ship " Sei Bright " . " Sei Bright " suffered slight damaged to her bow . No one was injured on either ship nor did " Drum " suffer notable damaged . " Drum " returned to San Diego on 13 April 1995 . Commander Hall was relieved of duty pending investigation of the collision , later resolved as “ not for cause . ” On 27 April 1995 , Commander Mitchell K . Sauls became " Drum " s tenth and final commanding officer . At 1300 hours on 20 May 1995 , an inactivation ceremony was held for " Drum " at San Diego . In late May 1995 , she departed San Diego for the last time , destined for Pearl Harbor , where she would undergo deactivation at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard . Decommissioning and disposition . " Drum " was decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 30 October 1995 . Since then , she has been stored at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard , awaiting entry into the Nuclear - Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program for scrapping . On 20 May 2010 the ex - drum entered drydock for the last time . The ship was recycled in drydock three at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and IMF . In early 2011 her reactor compartment was shipped to Hanford , Washington for burial . The sail of the U . S . S Drum was removed for display . It is currently on display at U . S . Navy Recruit Training Command , Great Lakes , Illinois . Preservation efforts . The non - profit Mare Island Park Historic Foundation was raising money to return " Drum " to Vallejo as a floating museum ship . In Fiscal Year 1997 , the United States Congress authorized the transfer of " Drum " to Vallejo at " no cost to the U . S . Government " . If enough money had been raised to cover the cost of that transfer , " Drum " would have been transferred to Vallejo after removal of her nuclear reactor and decontamination of her hull . These efforts were unsuccessful . Notes . Red November , Inside the Secret U . S . Soviet Submarine War