USS Woodrow Wilson SSBN 624 - Sew On
A squadron patch of the USS Woodrow Wilson SSBN 624 with plastic backing
4x4" Patch
USS Woodrow Wilson (SSBN-624), a Lafayette class ballistic missile submarine, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924), the 28th President of the United States (1913-1921). She later was converted into an attack submarine and redesignated SSN-624.
Construction and commissioning
The contract to build Woodrow Wilson was awarded to Mare Island Naval Shipyard at Vallejo, California, on 9 February 1961 and her keel was laid down there on 13 September 1961. She was launched on 22 February 1963 sponsored by Miss Eleanor Axson Sayre (Wilson's granddaughter), and commissioned on 27 December 1963, with Commander Cleo N. Mitchell in command of the Blue Crew and Commander Walter N. Dietzen in command of the Gold Crew.
Operational history
Woodrow Wilson departed Mare Island Naval Shipyard on 9 January 1964, bound for the United States East Coast. After stopping briefly at San Diego, she proceeded on to the Panama Canal, arriving on 19 January 1964 at its western end. Violent anti-American demonstrations and riots over a recent flag-displaying incident had resulted in an extremely tense atmosphere. As a result, she transited the canal in a record seven hours ten minutes while combat-ready United States Marines and United States Army soldiers guarded the locks.
Making port at Charleston, South Carolina, on 5 February 1964, Woodrow Wilson conducted a shakedown cruise off the lower U.S. East Coast into March 1964 and underwent post-shakedown repairs and alterations into April 1964. She put to sea at the end of May 1964 upon the conclusion of these repairs and alterations and commenced her first deterrent patrol out of Charleston in June 1964.
Woodrow Wilson subsequently operated in the Atlantic Ocean until the autumn of 1968, conducting patrols from forward bases at