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
USS Skipjack (SSN-585) On the journey, she passed so close to the Soviet port that the officers could look through a periscope and see the port only 30 or 40 yards (27 to 37 meters) away. Upon entering the canal, crewmen saw one of "Skipjack"s officers turn off a tracing mechanism so that there would be no written record of the action. Upon returning from this mission, "Skipjack" spent the remainder of 1960 in a restricted yard availability and upkeep. "Skipjack" commenced her 1961 operations by participating in two weeks of type training followed by anti-submarine warfare exercises through August, visiting Mayport, Florida,