USS Sturgeon ( SSN - 637 ) USS " Sturgeon " ( SSN - 637 ) , the lead ship of her class of nuclear - powered attack submarine s , was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for the sturgeon . Construction and commissioning . The contract to build " Sturgeon " was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton , Connecticut , on 30 November 1961 and her keel was laid down there on 10 August 1963 . She was launched on 26 February 1966 , sponsored by Mrs . Everett Dirkson , the wife of United States Senator Everett Dirksen ( 1896 – 1969 ) of Illinois , and commissioned on 3 March 1967 , with Commander Curtis B . Shellman , Jr . , in command . Service history . 1968 - 1970 . " Sturgeon " spent a month conducting refresher training and then began her shakedown cruise on 3 April 1967 down the United States East Coast and to Puerto Rico . She returned to Groton for repairs , alterations , maintenance , and training until 18 September 1967 , when she departed on extended operations . She returned to port on 2 October 1967 and was transferred to Submarine Development Group 2 . On 22 January 1968 , she began a five - week antisubmarine warfare exercise to evaluate the relative effectiveness of " Sturgeon " - class and " Permit " class attack submarines . " Sturgeon " began a three - month post - shakedown period of alterations and repairs on 3 March 1968 . When the shipyard work was completed in June 1968 , she participated in the search for the missing attack submarine in the vicinity of the Azores . She spent July and August 1968 preparing for overseas deployment , then was deployed from September to early November 1968 . She participated in tests and evaluation of a new sonar detection device from December 1968 to February 1969 . She visited the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis , Maryland , in March 1969 and then held an intensive training period for her crew before deploying from May to July 1969 . In April 1969 , she was awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation for outstanding service during a period in 1968 . " Sturgeon " participated in fleet submarine exercises in August and September 1969 and in a project for the Chief of Naval Operations from 29 September to 31 October 1969 . She was awarded a second Meritorious Unit Commendation , in December 1969 , for her service during a period earlier in 1969 . After training and preparation for another period at sea , she deployed from 29 January to 8 April 1970 . In May and June 1970 , she aided in evaluating aircraft antisubmarine warfare tactics and equipment . She spent the period from 1 July to 26 July 1970 in a submarine exercise , and from 15 August to 1 September 1970 in sound trials . On 5 October 1970 she began an overhaul at Groton which lasted until 5 October 1971 . While in the shipyard in December 1970 , " Sturgeon " was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation for exceptionally meritorious service during a period earlier that year . 1971 - 1994 . When " Sturgeon " completed her overhaul in October 1971 , she was transferred to Submarine Squadron 10 based at New London , Connecticut . She held refresher training and completed a shakedown cruise from 6 October to 15 December 1971 . The period from 16 December 1971 through 16 January 1972 was a leave and upkeep period . She then participated in two antisubmarine warfare exercises before returning to Groton for repairs and alterations from 6 March to 27 May 1972 . She conducted sea trials until 15 July 1972 , at which time she began a test on sonar systems which lasted until mid - December 1972 . " Sturgeon " spent the period from 1 January to 2 April 1973 conducting local operations in the Narragansett Bay area . On 3 April 1973 , she departed for the Fleet Weapons Range in the Caribbean . On 21 May 1973 , she ran aground near St . Croix in the United States Virgin Islands while making some 10 knots ( 18 . 5 kilometers per hour ) . She sustained damage to her bow and was forced to return to Groton on 4 June 1973 to repair the damage . " Sturgeon " returned to sea for local operations from 17 July to 1 October 1973 , when she entered the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard at Kittery , Maine , to effect bow repairs . She remained in the shipyard until 22 April 1974 . After sea trials , she returned to her home port , New London , for a ten - day upkeep period . She operated from New London until 13 August 1974 when she departed for Norfolk , Virginia , to join other fleet units participating in Atlantic Readiness Exercise 1 - 75 . She then returned to New London to hold local training exercises in preparation for an overseas movement . " Sturgeon " stood out to sea on 29 November 1974 , en route to the Mediterranean and a scheduled six - month deployment there with the United States Sixth Fleet . She arrived in the Mediterranean on 9 December 1974 . Decommissioning and disposal . " Sturgeon " was decommissioned on 1 August 1994 and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register the same day . Her scrapping via the Nuclear - Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard at Bremerton , Washington , was completed on 11 December 1995 . Commemoration . On 15 September 1995 at the Naval Undersea Museum in Keyport , Washington , a ceremony commemorated the transfer of " Sturgeon " s sail from Puget Sound Naval Shipyard . The sail is now located in the museums parking lot . The control center is now on display at the Submarine Force Library Museum in Groton .