USS Shark ( SSN - 591 ) USS " Shark " ( SSN - 591 ) , a " Skipjack " - class submarine , was the seventh ship of the United States Navy to be named for the shark . Her keel was laid down on 24 February 1958 by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Newport News , Virginia . She was launched on 16 March 1960 sponsored by Mrs . Louis Shane , Jr . , and commissioned on 9 February 1961 with Lieutenant Commander John F . Fagan , Jr . , in command . After preliminary testing and fitting out , " Shark " sailed to the Caribbean Sea in May for her shakedown cruise . The submarine returned to her building yard for post - shakedown repairs and final acceptance by the Navy . Operational history . 1960s . " Shark " sailed for the Mediterranean Sea and duty with the Sixth Fleet on 12 August . This was the first such deployment for a nuclear submarine , and " Shark " was deployed until 14 November 1961 . On 29 January 1962 , the submarine steamed to Bermuda in the British West Indies , for two weeks of type training . She was next deployed to the North Atlantic from 15 March to 23 May . During this period , " Shark " paid a one - week visit to Portsmouth , England . On 25 August , she departed for another two months in the North Atlantic . On her return trip to Norfolk , Virginia , she underwent an availability period that lasted until 7 January 1963 . " Shark " participated in SUBFALLEX in the North Atlantic from 7 August to 24 October , with a week spent in Faslane , Scotland . The remainder of 1963 was either spent in port , in local operations , or conducting antisubmarine warfare exercises in the Caribbean . On 22 March 1964 , " Shark " departed Norfolk to participate in SUBSPRINGEX and returned on 21 May . On 25 June 1964 , she sailed to Charleston , South Carolina , for her first shipyard overhaul which lasted until 7 June 1965 . On 7 April 1965 , at the shipyard , " Shark " was presented the Navy Unit Commendation for meritorious service from 5 April to 9 May 1964 , a period in which she " achieved results of great value and importance to the United States Navy in the field of antisubmarine warfare capabilities . " The submarine put to sea for sea trials on 7 June . One month later , she suffered damage to the forward oxygen system which necessitated additional repairs at Charleston , South Carolina . On 9 October , she passed her sea trials and sailed to Key West , Florida , for two weeks of torpedo tube tests and a wire - guided torpedo development project . " Shark " returned to Norfolk on 25 October 1965 and conducted type training , individual ship exercises , and antisubmarine warfare exercises until 8 January 1966 . The boat then operated in the Caribbean until 7 February . She was there again for further trials in July and October . " Shark " stood out of Norfolk on 7 January 1967 for the North Atlantic and conducted special operations until 24 March . Two weeks of this period were spent at Holy Loch , Scotland . On 12 April , she was presented her second Navy Unit Commendation for operations in 1966 in which " " Shark " contributed significantly to the knowledge of the United States Navy in the field of antisubmarine warfare . " " Shark " departed Norfolk on 16 May for Halifax , Nova Scotia , which was the first visit of a nuclear ship to a Canadian port . The submarine operated with Royal Canadian Navy ASW units before returning to her home port . On 11 June 1967 , " Shark " prepared for her first refueling period at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard and did not put to sea again until March 1968 . The remainder of 1968 and 1969 was spent performing local or special operations . 1970s . " Shark " was in drydock at Norfolk from 1 January 1970 to 9 August 1971 . The remainder of the year and 1972 was spent in refresher training and undergoing various trials along the East Coast , with the exception of a deployment to the Sixth Fleet from 31 May to 19 November 1972 . She would take part in another deployment with the Atlantic Fleet in 1974 before returning to Pascagoula for a reactor refueling in August . This refueling and overhaul would take more than two years . When the " Shark " returned to the ocean , her homeport was changed to New London , Conn . In 1978 , the " Shark " would have a busy schedule , taking part in UNITAS exercises with a number of South American navies and deploying to Mediterranean as part of the Sixth Fleet . In 1980 , the " Shark " took part in exercises with the Atlantic Fleet and the Royal Canadian Navy . Decommissioning . " Shark " was deactivated , in commission , and formally decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 15 September 1990 . " Shark " was the last " Skipjack " to be taken out of service . She entered the Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program in Bremerton , Washington , on 1 October 1995 and on 28 June 1996 ceased to exist . See also . See http : / / www . btrosper . com / ALLSHARK / index . html for additional history and recycling photos at Bremerton , 600 + crew list , Paris Match article about SSN - 591 ; and historical comments , photos and links regarding the six proceeding USS " Shark " s .