Home > USS George Bancroft (SSBN-643)

USS George Bancroft (SSBN-643), a Benjamin Franklin-class ballistic missile submarine, was the fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named for Secretary of the Navy George Bancroft, the founder of the United States Naval AcademyThe United States Naval Academy or USNA is an institution for the undergraduate education of officers of the United States Navy. Its campus is located in Annapolis, Maryland, on the banks of the Severn River. Students at the Naval Academy are referred to, though the first three were known simply as Bancroft . The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General DynamicsGeneral Dynamics is a defense conglomerate formed by mergers and divestitures. It has changed markedly in the post- Cold War era of defense consolidation. Nicholas D. Chabraja is the CEO. Product lines as of 2002 Aerospace business aircraft Combat Systems Corporation in Groton, ConnecticutGroton is a town located on the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 39,907. Groton is the home of the Electric Boat Corporation, the major contractor for submarine work for the US Navy, on 1 November 1962 and her keel was laid down on 24 August 1963. She was launched on 20 March 1965 sponsored by Mrs. Anita Irvine, and commissioned on 22 January 1966, with Captain Joseph Williams in command of the Blue Crew and Commander Walter M. Douglas in command of the Gold Crew.

27½ years of history go here

Sail of USS George Bancroft on display at SuBase Kings Bay

George Bancroft was decommissioned on 21 September 1993 and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 21 September 1993. Ex-George Bancroft entered the Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program in Bremerton, Washington, and on 30 March 1998 ceased to exist.

See USS Bancroft for other ships named for George Bancroft.