USS Abraham Lincoln ( SSBN - 602 ) USS " Abraham Lincoln " ( SSBN - 602 ) , a fleet ballistic missile submarine , was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for Abraham Lincoln ( 1809 – 1865 ) , the 16th President of the United States ( 1861 – 1865 ) . Her keel was laid down by the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard of Kittery , Maine , on 1 November 1958 . She was launched on 14 May 1960 sponsored by Mrs . Mary L . Beckwith , and commissioned on 8 March 1961 with Commander Leonard Erb commanding the Blue Crew and Commander Donald M . Miller commanding the Gold Crew . Atlantic operations . " Abraham Lincoln " got underway on 20 March 1961 for shakedown and weapons testing at Cape Canaveral , Florida , and returned to Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on 1 June for post - shakedown repairs . She left Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on 17 July 1961 to return briefly to Cape Canaveral for further testing and then proceeded to Charleston , South Carolina , for a final loadout . " Abraham Lincoln " subsequently got underway on 28 August 1961 as a unit of SUBRON 14 . She arrived at Holy Loch , Scotland , in October 1961 . She underwent a refit alongside submarine tender during November 1961 and , upon its completion , commenced her first deterrent patrol . " Abraham Lincoln " operated out of Holy Loch for the next four years . She alternated periods of upkeep at Holy Loch alongside " Proteus " or submarine tender with deterrent patrols from that port . A highlight of this period occurred during the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962 . " Abraham Lincoln " was in the middle of a scheduled four - week upkeep period when she received orders to deploy . She departed in short order and successfully carried out a 65 - day patrol . On 13 October 1965 , " Abraham Lincoln " arrived at Groton , Connecticut and entered the Electric Boat shipyard there on 25 October 1965 to begin an overhaul and refueling . This work was completed on 3 June 1967 , and " Abraham Lincoln " returned to her base at Holy Loch and resumed her schedule of deterrent patrols . She continued the pattern of alternating patrols with periods of upkeep alongside either submarine tender or submarine tender through 1972 . In early March 1972 , " Abraham Lincoln " departed for the United States and arrived at Naval Submarine Base New London at New London , Connecticut , on 25 April 1972 . She held two dependents ' cruise s before getting underway on 19 May for the United States West Coast to join the United States Pacific Fleet . " Abraham Lincoln " made a brief visit to Fort Lauderdale , Florida , transited the Panama Canal on 1 June , sailed to Bangor , Washington , to offload her missiles , then pushed on to San Francisco . On 25 June 1972 , " Abraham Lincoln " entered the Mare Island Naval Shipyard at Vallejo , California , to commence overhaul and refueling . Pacific operations . The extensive overhaul was completed in December 1973 . After shakedown in the areas around Puget Sound and San Diego " Abraham Lincoln " transited the Panama Canal on 1 June 1974 . She held tests and local operations at Cape Canaveral and Charleston , South Carolina . She retransitted the Panama Canal on 26 July 1974 and proceeded to her new home port , Pearl Harbor , Hawaii , where she arrived on 10 September 1974 to become part of CINCPAC Fleet and Squadron 15 . She then continued on to her advanced base at Guam , arriving on 18 October 1974 . She then began deterrent patrols in the Mariana Islands from Guam , which she carried out until 1978 . She also participated in numerous tests and exercises . During this period , " Abraham Lincoln " became the first ballistic missile submarine to have conducted 50 strategic deterrent patrols , completing her 50th in 1977 . Deactivation , decommissioning , and disposal . " Abraham Lincoln " completed her last patrol in October 1979 and arrived at Bangor , Washington , on 30 October 1979 to commence offloading her missiles before beginning inactivation overhaul . Preparations for her retirement continued through 1980 and into 1981 . " Abraham Lincoln " was decommissioned on 28 February 1981 and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 December 1982 . She was disposed of through the Ship and Submarine Recycling Program on 10 May 1994 at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard .