USS Alexander Hamilton ( SSBN - 617 ) USS " Alexander Hamilton " ( SSBN - 617 ) , a " Lafayette " - class ballistic missile submarine , was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for Alexander Hamilton ( 1755 – 1804 ) , the first Secretary of the Treasury , who was instrumental in the formation of both the United States Coast Guard and the United States Navy . Construction and commissioning . " Alexander Hamilton " s keel was laid down on 26 June 1961 at Groton , Connecticut , by the Electric Boat Division of the General Dynamics Corporation . She was launched on 18 August 1962 sponsored by Mrs . Valentine Hollingsworth , Jr . , the great - great - great granddaughter of Alexander Hamilton , and commissioned on 27 June 1963 with Commander Norman B . Bessac commanding the Blue Crew and Commander Benjamin F . Sherman , Jr . , commanding the Gold Crew . Operational history . Between 28 June and 18 October 1963 , " Alexander Hamilton " carried out two shakedown cruises , one for each of her crews . Following those operations , she conducted post - shakedown availability . After trials early in 1964 , she departed the United States East Coast on 16 March 1964 to deploy to Rota , Spain , her base of operations . She conducted deterrent patrols out of that port for the remainder of 1964 as a unit of Submarine Squadron 16 . In January 1965 , she transferred to Submarine Squadron 14 and was rebased at Holy Loch , Scotland . Her cycle of patrols from there lasted until 2 June 1967 , at which time she returned to the United States at Charleston , South Carolina . Later that month , she moved north to New London , Connecticut , and from there into the Electric Boat shipyard on 18 June 1967 to begin her first overhaul and nuclear refueling . " Alexander Hamilton " completed the overhaul on 28 June 1968 and conducted post - overhaul trials , inspections , and shakedown training until early October 1968 . In November , she began a deterrent patrol en route to Rota , her new base , where she arrived on 30 December 1968 . For the next four years , she operated from Rota as a unit of Submarine Squadron 16 . At the conclusion of her 31st deterrent patrol , " Alexander Hamilton " returned to Charleston in November 1972 and in January 1973 began her second refueling overhaul , combined with a conversion to carry Poseidon missile s , at the shipyard of the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company . The work on those two modifications lasted for over two years . Upon its completion , she carried out shakedown in April 1975 and devoted the remainder of the year to training and various post - overhaul trials . She conducted her 32nd and 33rd deterrent patrols in the early part of 1976 . " Alexander Hamilton " concluded the 33rd patrol at Holy Loch in May 1976 and conducted her next three deterrent patrols from that base . While on her 35th patrol , she visited Port Canaveral , Florida , and New London , Connecticut , before concluding that patrol at Charleston in March 1977 . During March and April 1977 , she completed refit and conducted refresher training . In July 1977 , she departed Charleston for another deterrent patrol which ended with her arrival at Holy Loch in September 1977 . From Holy Loch , " Alexander Hamilton " conducted her 39th and 40th deterrent patrols . She departed Holy Loch in May 1978 for her 41st deterrent patrol and concluded it at Charleston in July 1978 . She remained there until August 1978 when she got underway for New London . She arrived at New London early in September 1978 and , after exchanging crews , embarked upon her 42nd deterrent patrol later that month . She ended that patrol at Holy Loch in October 1978 . Over the next year , she made four patrols from Holy Loch . On 31 October 1979 , she departed Holy Loch on her 46th deterrent patrol , ending it at Charleston on 7 December 1979 . Early in January 1980 , she departed Charleston on her 47th deterrent patrol . She concluded that patrol at Holy Loch on 17 March 1980 and operated from that base for the remainder of 1980 . Planned deactivation and reprieve . " Alexander Hamilton " ' s deterrent patrols out of Holy Loch continued until 1986 . At that time , she was to have been decommissioned in order to remove her from the fleet as a gesture of goodwill in accordance with the terms of the unratified SALT II strategic arms limitation treaty . Upon her arrival in Groton early in 1986 , she began preparations for deactivation . The grounding of the ballistic missile submarine , however , forced the Navy to change its plans . What had been a deactivation overhaul quickly became a four - week maintenance availability for repairs to get " Alexander Hamilton " ready for active service . In April 1986 , she departed for Charleston , South Carolina , for further work conducted in the floating drydock . While at Charleston , she also served at sea occasionally as a training platform . In mid - June 1986 , " Alexander Hamilton " returned to Groton . During the summer of 1986 , she participated in training cruises for United States Naval Academy and Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps midshipmen . In August 1986 , " Alexander Hamilton " s crew learned that her refueling overhaul would be conducted by the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Bremerton , Washington . She departed Groton on 1 October 1986 to begin the voyage to Bremerton . Steaming by way of the Panama Canal , she arrived at Bremerton late in November 1986 . She formally began her refueling overhaul on 30 November 1987 . Decommissioning and disposal . Decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 23 February 1993 , " Alexander Hamilton " was disposed of through the Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard . Recycling was completed on 28 February 1994 .