USS Sam Houston ( SSBN - 609 ) USS " Sam Houston " ( SSBN - 609 / SSN - 609 ) , an , was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Sam Houston ( 1793 – 1863 ) , president ( 1836 – 1838 , 1841 – 1844 ) of the Republic of Texas . " Sam Houston " was the US Navy ' s seventh ballistic missile submarine . Ship ' s history . Her keel was laid down on 28 December 1959 by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company of Newport News , Virginia . She was launched on 2 February 1961 sponsored by Mrs . John B . Connally , and commissioned on 6 March 1962 with Captain W . P . Willis , Jr . commanding the Blue Crew and Commander Jack H . Hawkins commanding the Gold Crew . Following sea trials , " Sam Houston " s Blue Crew fired her first Polaris missile on 25 April 1962 off Cape Canaveral , Florida . The Gold Crew then took over , completed its first missile firing on 11 May 1962 , and then departed from Cape Canaveral for its own shakedown training . On her first patrol , " Sam Houston " , manned by the Blue Crew , operated continuously submerged for 48 days and two hours , then moored alongside the submarine tender in Holy Loch , Scotland . Following upkeep , the Gold Crew commenced its first patrol on 25 December 1962 , returning to Holy Loch in February 1963 . The crews were again alternated , and " Sam Houston " departed on her third patrol in March 1963 . On this patrol , she was the first fleet ballistic missile submarine to enter the Mediterranean Sea , where she joined North Atlantic Treaty Organization ( NATO ) forces . On a short operational visit to İzmir , Turkey , she became the first ballistic missile submarine to make a port call during a patrol . With the two crews alternating every 90 days , " Sam Houston " completed six successful deterrent patrols by the end of 1963 . By the end of 1964 , " Sam Houston " had completed ten patrols . During 1965 , she completed four additional deterrent patrols . During 1966 , she completed three more patrols , including her longest , which lasted 71 days . On 10 August 1966 , she returned to the United States for the first time since her deployment to Holy Loch in 1962 and commenced a major overhaul at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard at Kittery , Maine . On 30 October 1967 , she got underway for sea trials , and , a month later , her Blue Crew began shakedown training . In January 1968 , the Gold Crew conducted shakedown operations . Following further tests , she got under way for her 18th deterrent patrol , and put in to Holy Loch on 25 May 1968 . By the end of 1968 , she was on her 21st patrol . During 1969 , " Sam Houston " completed her 22nd through 24th patrols . In 1970 , she continued to operate with Submarine Squadron 14 until shifting to the Mediterranean on 9 August 1970 to join Submarine Squadron 16 . She operated out of her advanced base at Rota , Spain , until October 1972 . On 27 November , she entered Charleston Naval Shipyard and began an extended in - port period , which included regular overhaul and the updating of her weapons and propulsion systems . As of May 1974 , " Sam Houston " was still in port at Charleston , South Carolina . In 1981 , in compliance with the SALT I treaty , " Sam Houston " s ballistic missile section was deactivated . Concrete blocks were placed in the missile tubes and the missile fire - control system was removed , as was one of the her inertial navigation system s . " Sam Houston " was reclassified as an attack submarine with hull number SSN - 609 on 10 November 1980 and retained primarily for training , antisubmarine warfare exercises , and other secondary duties . From September 1982 to September 1985 , " Sam Houston " , along with her sister ship , was modified at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard at Bremerton , Washington , as an amphibious transport to carry frogmen or commando s . This included the installation of additional troop berthing , the removal of some ballistic missile tube bases , and the conversion of other ballistic missile tubes into air lock s and stowage for equipment . She was fitted with two Dry Deck Shelters ( DDSs ) abaft her sail . These , which housed United States Navy SEAL team Swimmer Delivery Vehicle s , allowed her to act as a SEAL mother ship . On 29 April 1988 , " Sam Houston " ran aground on Fox Island , Washington . Deactivated on 1 March 1991 while still in commission , " Sam Houston " began the Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard the same day . She was formally decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 6 September 1991 and finished the recycling program on 3 February 1992 , when she was officially listed as scrapped .