The USS Sargo SSN-583 was a Skate class nuclear fast attack submarine. She's razor blades now, having been decommisioned on 26 February, 1988. The Sargo was the 5th nuclear submarine ever built.
I'm Chris Mahar. I was in the navy for 6 years, and got out in 1986. I was on Sargo, my only boat, from January 1983 to August 1986, through 2 Westacs, a mini-Westpac, an Eastpac, flooding, fires, stuck rods, dropped rods, hot-runs and you name it. I'd do it again if I had to, but I don't. It was, truly, an adventure. I was a nuke reactor operator(ETSS).
Sargo on ice! These guys had BALLS. Click on any image on this page for a full size picture as scanned. I squeezed them down to save time downloading the page.
I think I've got this link fixed, so we have a Sargo photo album. Sargo vets have sent in some great photos. I ran out of web space on my server, and I'm trying to work out details on how I can get more. Anyone got some webspace they can loan me? About 15 or 20 meg would do nicely for now. Currently I'm using free space on a Prohosting server, but I'd rather have some 'permanent' space
Big News
The next Sargo reunion will be held at Ramada Limited, Old Town San Diego from Sunday, September 30th 2001 through Wednesday, Oct 3. Make your own reservations at 800-451-9846 and mention Sargo.
The only event currently scheduled is the banquet Wednesday evening. They're negotiating for luncheon at SubBase followed by a tour of a 688.
Rooms range from $93 to $139.(plus 10.5% tax) Reunion costs have not been determined, but should be less than $100.
RSVP to munrof_h@telebyte.net or US mail to USS Sargo Assoc., Frank Munroe, Secretary, 15000 Starr Rd SE, Olalla, Wa 98359
This information was last updated on 10/30/2000 by C. Mahar
Here is some Sargo trivia.
Lately there has been a lot of email activity by old sargo squids. In 1990, Mike Rolow and Ray Richards organized a USS Sargo Association. The group is not incorporated and does not have elected officers or rules of order. They had reunions in 90 and 91 in Vallejo, 93 in St. Augustine, 95 in New Orleans and 97 at SubBase Bangor. The last reunion was scheduled September 26 to October 1, 1999 in Williamsburg, Virginia. If you served on USS Sargo, either SSN-583 or SS-188, and would like information on the reunions, contact Frank Munroe at email munrof_h@telebyte.net <mailto:munrof_h@telebyte.net>
Here we are anchored out at Maui.
Here's a photo of John Varga, Don Vogt, and I (left to right) in the barracks drinking wine out of a tumbler, a coffee mug and a graduated cylinder. None of us looks quite this young or thin anymore. I was 22. Now we all 3 work at the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station outside of Phoenix, Arizona. John is in training, Don is a Shift Technical Advisor and I'm a planner in instrumentation and controls maintenance. Larry Whitington and Steve Van Valkenburg, two other old Sargo sailors, also work with us.
I'll add more to this page, and to the photo album, as I get it. Many thanks to Bill Amos for several great shots of the boat. The under-ice shot was his, as is the one at the top of this page, with Diamond Head and Waikiki in the background. If you have anything you think should go on this page, email it to me. I'll stick it up here. A list of C.O.s would be good. Anyone have that?
Here's a couple of links I turned up while doing web searches for USS Sargo SSN-583. As I don't update this page that often, some may be out of date.
http://www.fortunecity.com/meltingpot/cranley/173/co756.htm What happened to Ken Walker? He has his own boat!
http://www.explorers.org/programsfiles/lowell.html Here's a link with some info about Sargo's under-ice operations.
http://www.subnet.com/FLEET/ssn583.htm Sargo history, specs, nice summary.
http://weber.u.washington.edu/~uwnrotc/staff/co.html This guy was the XO when I was aboard.
http://www.cyberramp.net/~mshelton/djshelton/a-sub/all-subs.htm Lists dates the boat went into service, and the dates she got cut up and sold for scrap.