USS Skipjack (SSN-585) USS Skipjack (SSN-585) USS "Skipjack" (SSN-585), the lead ship of her class of nuclear-powered attack submarine, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named after the Skipjack tuna. Her keel was laid down on 29 May 1956 by the Electric Boat Division of the General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut. She was launched on 26 May 1958, sponsored by Helen Mahon, wife of Representative George H. Mahon from the 19th District of Texas, and commissioned on 15 April 1959 with Commander W. W. Behrens, Jr., in command. On the "Skipjack", there were many design changes that
HMS Skipjack (1889) and in clearing this minefield. On 18 November 1914 "Skipjack" and the gunboat were about to start a minesweeping run in the channel between Fair Island and North Ronaldsay when "Skipjack" commanding officer sighted the conning tower of the German submarine "U-22". The two gunboats set off at full speed in pursuit, but the submarine outpaced them and dived to safety after a chase of 45 minutes. On the evening of 24 November 1914, the German submarine "U-16" was off the east coast of the Orkneys when she was spotted by a group of trawlers that were minesweeping. The trawlers