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| By Fergus Reid Democrat Staff Writer August 15, 1988 KITTERY, Maine -- The USS Tullibee, a decommissioned Navy submarine, embarked on its final voyage from the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Friday afternoon. The Tullibee, a 28-year old nuclear attack sub, was escorted from the shipyard at 1:25 p.m. by three tug boats on its way to a rendezvous with the USS Grapple, the Navy's newest salvage and research vessel. The year-and-a-half-old Grapple, under the command of Lt. Comm. Timothy B Stark and stationed in Little Creek, Va., will tow the Tullibee to its final resting place, the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Va., for storage and eventual disposal. The departure was accompanied by little fanfare. A handful of pleasure craft escorted the ship on the beginning of its last voyage. Built in Groton, Ct., and commissioned in 1962, the 273-foot-long Tullibee served primarily along the East Coast during its tours of duty. It became the first nuclear attack sub assigned to Groton's submarine Squadron II. The Tullibee was often employed as a developmental submarine in anti-submarine experimentation. The Tullibee first arrived at the Kittery Shipyard in September and was officially deactivated June 25. The sub has since been sealed in preparation for towing. Fran Holly of the shipyard public affairs office had no information about how long the sub will remain in storage or how the Navy plans to dispose of the vessel. Ms. Holly said she was not permitted to discuss the towing route or duration of the trip. "We are not allowed to comment on ship movements," she said. Accompanying the Grapple and the Tullibee will be the USS Oliver Hazard Perry, a fast frigate built at the Bath Iron Works and homeported in Philadelphia. The Oliver Perry will serve as an escort and back-up tow ship. (Thanks to "tallywackerus" from the Yahoo! Groups Message Board for this article.) |
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| USS Tullibee leaves Ports. on final trip |