South Carolina (DLGN 37) - Naval Cruise Book

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The SOUTH CAROLINA is a CCN-36 class frigate with a design overall length of 596 feet and an extreme beam of 61 feet. Her full load displacement is approximately l0,000 tons with a maximum draft of 30 feet 5 inches. To propel this massive ship through the water at speeds in excess of thirty knots, the engineering spaces house two nuclear fission reactors which power a set of geared turbines and twin screws. This type of propulsion gives her the added high speed endurance and staying power which is vital to our modern Navy. SOUTH CAROLINA's mission is to operate independently, or in company, with strike, antisubmarine, or amphibious forces, against possible submarine, air, and surface threats. To accomplish this task, SOUTH CAROLINA will incorporate the power of two Tarter missile systems, fone forward and one aftlg an antisubmarine rocket system lASROClg two 5-inch 54 caliber lightweight guns, and four torpedo launchers, Additionally, SOUTH CAROLINA will utilize the ANXSQS-26CX long range sonar equipments rounding out her capabilities as a three dimensional fighting ship. Maintaining SOUTH CAROLINA in an action ready posture will be the job of the 33 officers and 5l2 enlisted men who comprise her crew. It is these men who will write the history of the fifth United States Navy Ship named SOUTH CAROLINA. 'Pea 509 A Q 4, Q4 95' 'N umo AND we The official crest of the USS SOUTH CAROLINA is highly symbolic of the ship it so strikingly represents. The circular shield displays the never ending diligence and continuity of service with which the SOUTH CAROLINA will serve the United States Navy. Below the shield, written in colors of Navy blue and gold, are the words of the motto of the State of South Carolina, Prepared in Mind and Resources, a motto which the USS SOUTH CAROLINA will be proud to uphold. The bright red outline of the state, superimposed over the gold anchor represents the ship surrounded by the Navy blue waters over which it will reign. In the right-hand portion of the state outline is the symbol of the atom, power source of the new frigate. The five gold stars spaced across the shield are a reminder that this is the fifth ship named SOUTH CAROLINA to serve in the United States Navy. Finally, the overall color scheme of red, white and blue, leaves no doubt as to the nation which this ship so proudly serves. fb

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In 1799 the second SOUTH CAROLINA was built at Charleston, apparently under the name PROTECTOR. She was built and equipped by the Navy Department and operated for the War Department as a coastal patrol vessel. The third SOUTH CAROLINA, a screw steamer built at Boston in 1860, was purchased by the Navy in 1861. During the Civil War she participated in Blockading Squadrons at Galveston, Texas and Charleston, South Carolina. She was decommissioned in 1865 and sold at public auction in 1866. In 1910, the battleship USS SOUTH CAROLINA fBB-265 was commissioned at Philadelphia Navy Yard. The 452-foot vessel had a displacement of 16,000 tons, designed speed of 18.5 knots and a complement of 51 officers and 818 men. In 1914 she landed Marines to guard the United States Legation in Port au Prince, Haiti, and a landing force to take part in the occupation of Vera Cruz, Mexico. I i'llll'i' i 'Ai IEID 'WAAQL5 ' .'0li'l'll CAI 0LI SOUTH CAROI INA IIJLCJN-371 is the fifth Hunted in honor of the State of SOUTH CAROLINA, Ship of the fleet to bg V A Continental Fngmt. nl the bnutlt Carolina State Navy was also named SOUTH CSAROI INA. The State Frigote SOUTH CAROLINA was originally intended for use in the Continental Navy, when its construction commenced in 1777. However, pressure from the British Government slowed its progresswnd only through the effort of several American agents in Europe was the ship finally turned over to the South Carolina State Navy in 1780. SOUTH CAROLINA captured several prizes in her short history until finally in November of 1782 she was captured by three British Men. of'War. The first ship to officially bear the name of SOUTH CAROLINA in the service of her country was a 12-gun, 187-ton schooner built for the Revenue Cutter Service in 1797 and 1798 at Charleston, South Carolina. She operated under Navy orders during the Navy War with France, cruising in the West Indies. 1011 tltr- llttitecl States entered World war l ln was cismqtwfvl flirty its it giirtrtery ffdlnlng ,mp balmgouow rin or Pint r--.r wrt fttr rt trmwpccwrtvOY bound lor France. ns 7 thr- Arint-.tit r-, -.lin rnnile four trooP Hcnspon ru Tw H ltrest, fmt.. P, Yf llfIll!lq41,111Tl5 veterans home.h'l dolphm -. V t G :i IYIIP with tlf'r ixrtitrtlfistixttbti HN ol P '11 WU. .,. . ' Q 1... sf-lil Ii-r A-ifttViii:ii1 tri I 194741 tri accordance Wnh' lrf-I-tt llllitlllity rliivitl iH'rttCtlTtI r1tS

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ND l 'SOURCES HULL 596 REEL LAID l2, lf70 Dliill 37'SOUTH UROLIIIA lunrtrlrt ll. leiviff EEL LAYING lllecenlber I9 0 Mrs. Margaret Middleton Rivers authenticating the keel of the USS SOUTH CAROLINA fDLGN-37? on I D ecember l970, ohservncl by Mr. C. L. Ackerman, President of Newport News Shipbuilding, With a beginning on a cold waterfront, a truly and fairly laid keel was the first step for USS SOUTH CAROLINA to become the fifth ship to bear the name. At Newport News Shipbuilding and Dryd0Cl4 Company on il December i970, the chain of events began forthe crew which would eventually man this nuclear guided missile frigate- To install and maintain two nuclear power plants, the engif1eeVin9 department studied, drilled, and molded themselves to a rigid scheduler From the initial fill of the reactors to the ORSE fOperational RSGCWV Safeguard Examl, the nuclear trained personnel f NUCS l m0l 'f0lned their readiness and very, very often worked extremely long hours. Nuclear powered propulsion is only part of SOUTH CAROl.lNA'5 uniqueness. installing and learning to operate two Tartar misSile systems, an antisubrnarine rocket system CASROCl: two 5'lnCll 54 caliber lightweight guns, four torpedo launchers and long Hinge Sonar equipment was a iob that demanded many long hours of not onlY 'he men of the shipyard,but the whole of Weapons Department,and evel'Y'fne in the Precommissioning Unit. During the period between keel l0Ylf19 and move aboard in September i974, thousands of hours were Spenl by future crew members learning the technical skills needed to 'Un the ship.