USS Jack ( SSN - 605 ) , a , was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the Jack , a name of fish applied to any young pike , large California rockfish , or green pike or pickerel . The contract to build her was awarded to Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery , Maine on 13 March 1959 and her keel was laid down on 16 September 1960 . She was launched on 24 April 1963 and was sponsored by Mrs . Grace Groves , the wife of Lieutenant General Leslie R . Groves , ( head of the Manhattan Project ) and commissioned on 31 March 1967 , with Commander Louis T . Urbanczyk , Jr . , in command . " Jack " was a variation on the standard " Permit " class design . She was longer than her sisters and used an experimental direct - drive plant with two contra - rotating propellers on concentric shafts . The following from a newspaper article in early 1966 : " Jack Wins Top Award The nuclear powered submarine USS Jack ( SSN605 ) , under construction at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard , N . H . , has walked off with the coveted annual Portsmouth Naval Shipyard " Admiral ' s Trophy for overall excellence in athletic competition during 1965 . " The Jack , a fast - attack , deep - diving , antisubmarine warfare submarine with a crew of 100 officers and men , is the first submarine to win the trophy in the history of the Shipyard . . . . " . . . USS Jack . . . is scheduled for commissioning in Spring of this year . . . " The ship was commissioned on 31 March 1971 . The principal speaker at the ceremony was Rear Admiral James Calvert , USN , who served with distinction in the Pacific during WWII on the USS JACK ( SS259 ) . He participated in nine submarine war patrols and during his three years aboard served in every capacity except that of Commanding Officer . JACK ( SS259 ) under the command of Commander Thomas M . Dykers won the name of “ Tanker Killer during her third war patrol , when she encountered a convoy of five large tankers and succeeded in sinking four of them ( both the Japanese and Captain Dykers claim five ) , all on 19 February 1944 . This feat was unequalled by any other U . S . submarine during the war . At the end of the war JACK stood in the top ten of the list of tonnages sunk by individual submarines with 76 , 887 tons to her credit . Upon commissioning , JACK was assigned to Commander Submarine Squadron Ten in New London , CT . After a shakedown cruise in the Caribbean , JACK took her place in the operating fleet . On Saturday , 22 June 1968 , Commander David G . Smith relieved Commander Louis J . Urbanczyk Jr . of command of USS JACK ( SSN 605 ) at State Pier in New London , CT . The crew of USS JACK very successfully demonstrated the versatility of a modern nuclear submarine during an important NATO exercise , SILVER TOWER , in October 1968 . At the conclusion of SILVER TOWER , having opposed both replenishment groups and a large , fast carrier task force , JACK claimed a simulated sinking tonnage of 319 , 000 tons . To put that in perspective , during all of WWII , the top three submarines sunk a total of just over 293 thousand tons of shipping ( FLASHER - 100 , 231 ; RASHER - 99 , 901 ; and TANG - 93 , 824 ) . After the exercise , key representatives of each participating ship assembled at the British naval base at Rosyth for a “ washup ” presentation of the results of the exercise . USS JACK received special mention as a result of the ship ’ s outstanding performance during the exercise . The below picture was taken from the periscope of JACK just as a simulated “ Down the Throat ” torpedo shot was made , simulating sinking the destroyer from the Orange Forces . The NATO Exercise " Silver - tower , " was the largest combined naval exercise in four years . " Silvertower " brought together ships and aircraft from nine countries . Two hundreds ships from the navies of west Germany , Belgium , Canada , Denmark , the Netherlands , Norway , Portugal , the United Kingdom and the United States participated . Aircraft for patrol , attack and reconnaissance purposes were provided . In addition , nato ' s standing naval force Atlantic , a new permanent multi - national squadron of destroyers and frigates took part . ' Silver tower ' was one of a series of major maritime exercises designed to test treaty plans and defenses under simulated battle conditions . The exercise was based on an imaginary threat to Norway through political and military pressure from a nation called " Orange " . On Saturday ( September 21 ) soviet ships shadowed the NATO fleet , but according to a NATO statement , the Soviet moves pleased the allies as it added a touch of realism to the exercise . The 1 November 1968 issue of the submarine newsletter Dolphin contained an article on page 3 noting that while JACK was submerged in the Atlantic EMCM ( SS ) Edward J . Lyons celebrated his fifth year aboard the ship by receiving his promotion to Master Chief ( E - 9 ) . Lyons was one of the three remaining plank - owners of the launching in 1964 . JACK then returned to Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for a four month post - shakedown availability . Completing the availability in March 1969 , JACK participated in the Caribbean training exercise SPRINGBOARD . As a result of the performance of the ship during that period the Weapons Department of JACK was awarded the Fire Control “ E ” for excellence . During 1969 the JACK was assigned a Top Secret SpecOp mission . The performance of the crew during that operation resulted in the following letter from the Chief of Naval Operations : “ The Secretar of the Navy takes pleasure in presenting the MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATION to USS JACK ( SSN - 605 ) for service as set forth in the following CITATION : For meritorious service during a period in 1969 in conducting an important and arduous independent submarine operation . In successfully completing the operation , USS JACK achieved significant results of great importance to the national defense of the United States . These results were attained primarily through the professional skills , resoursefulness , and teamwork of USS JACK ’ s officers and men . Their dedication to the fulfillment of a vital and difficult assignment reflects credit upon themselves and the United States Naval Service . All personnel attached to and servind on board USS JACK ( SSN - 605 ) during the period of this citation are hereby authorized to wear the Meritorious Unit Commendation Ribbon . For the Secretary , / s / T . H . Moorer , Admiral , United States Navy , Chief of Naval Operations . ” On 26 June 1969 USS JACK was assigned to test the performance of a “ war shot ” Mk 16 torpedo by sinking a destroyer that had been stricken from the list of commissioned ships . The WWII Destroyer Escort ex - USS SNOWDEN ( DE246 ) served as the target . 1970 During the summer of 1970 , JACK was awarded the Battle Efficiency “ E ” by Commander Submarine Force U . S . Atlantic Fleet . This award for battle readiness was received while JACK was engaged in Midshipmen training at the U . S . Naval Academy in Annapolis , MD . 1971 On 11 February 1971 JACK returned to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard to begin an extensive , 12 - month overhaul . 1972 Toward the end of the successful overhaul , JACK received an inspection by the Atlantic Fleet ’ s Operational Reactor Safeguards Examining Board . The board conducted interviews of crew members , observed operational drills , examined records and tested the knowledge of crew members . Upon completion of the inspection the JACK received the highest grade awarded by the Fleet Commander ’ s examining board . On 22 July 1972 Commander Thomas F . Wiener relieved Commander David G . Smith as commanding officer of the USS JACK ( SSN - 605 ) . Shortly thereafter the ship deployed to the Mediterranean . Accidents . On 27 April 1981 the Jack was involved in an incident in Alexandria , Egypt . She was moored alongside the USS Trenton ( LPD 14 ) during heavy swells when the Jack collided with the Trenton , doing slight damage to both ships . Fate . " Jack " was decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 11 July 1990 . Ex - " Jack " entered the Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program in Bremerton , Washington . Recycling was completed on 30 June 1992 .