Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay

Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay is a base of the United States Navy located adjacent to the city of St. Marys in Camden County, Georgia, on the East River in southeastern Georgia, and from Jacksonville, Florida. The Submarine Base is the U.S. Atlantic Fleet's home port for U.S. Navy Fleet ballistic missile nuclear submarines capable of being armed with Trident missile nuclear weapons. This submarine base covers about of land, of which are protected wetlands.

History

The early years

Archaeological research has revealed a pre-Columbian era Indian presence throughout the area, dating back thousands of years.

Early in the 19th century, much of what is now the submarine base was the site of several plantations, including Cherry Point, Harmony Hall, New Canaan, Marianna and Kings Bay. Beginning in the 1790s, Thomas King built a plantation along the bay. John Houston McIntosh built a considerably larger plantation known as New Canaan, where he grew cotton and sugar cane.

The plantation system declined following the Civil War, and the land was broken up into smaller holdings. No residents were paid the going rate for the land that was used to build the submarine base. One land owner was paid four thousand dollars for 62 acres (25 ha) of deep water land. Such residents harvested shrimp, fish and other seafood, and trapped and hunted to supplement small-scale farming of corn, sugar and other vegetables.

The Army years

The US Army began to acquire of land at Kings Bay in 1954 to build a military ocean terminal to ship ammunition in case of a national emergency. Construction began in 1955 and was completed in 1958. A 200-foot-wide channel was dredged to Cumberland Sound, and included two turning basins.

The most prominent feature of the terminal was its , concrete-and-steel wharf (600 m × 26 m). It had three parallel railroad tracks, enabling the simultaneous loading of several ammunition ships from rail cars and trucks.

Elsewhere on the base, the Army laid of railroad tracks. Spurs off the main line ran into temporary storage areas protected by earthen barricades. These mounds of dirt, still prominent features in many areas of the base, were designed to localize damage in case of explosive accidents.

It was soon realized that there was no immediate operational need for the installation, so it was placed in an inactive ready status, and Blue Star Shipping Company signed a lease to use the wharf in 1959. The activists, calling themselves the Kings Bay Plowshares 7, were found guilty of three felonies and one misdemeanor.

Major Commands at Kings Bay

Submarine Group 10

Submarine Group 10 was commissioned January 1, 1989, and is the senior command at Kings Bay. Group 10 is a subordinate command to Commander Submarine Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet. It exercises command over various commands and units assigned, including operational and administrative control of the Ohio-class submarines based at Submarine Base Kings Bay.

Group 10 is the local coordinating authority for all matters assigned by the submarine force commander and exercises direct control over the administration and training of submarine offcrews at Kings Bay. Specifically included in these responsibilities are the proper integration and coordination of the facilities dedicated to training support of the Trident system.

left|thumb|[[USS Maryland (SSBN-738)|USS Maryland (SSBN-738), an Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarine berthed at Kings Bay during 2016]]

Submarine Squadron 16

, Submarine Squadron 16 provided administrative support for the East Coast-based Ohio-class SSGN submarines. The squadron coordinates planning and executing all SSGN maintenance with Trident Refit Facility and is responsible for all material readiness and fiscal responsibility. The SSGN fleet relies heavily on this maintenance. In addition Submarine Squadron 16 will provide support for SSBNs during and after major overhaul periods.

Submarine Squadron 20

Submarine Squadron 20 provides the same kind of support services as Submarine Squadron 16, except that it is responsible for the East Coast-based Ohio-class SSBN and the strategic deterrence missions those SSBNs undertake. Trainers include damage control, fire fighting, ship control, navigation, and most weapons and engineering subsystems.

TTF's mission is to provide basic, advanced, functional, refresher and team training to Trident submarine crew members and submarine support personnel, in order to increase and maintain the knowledge and proficiency in specific skills and to provide specialized training. The United Kingdom's s, through the Polaris Sales Agreement, also uses the Trident missile and their sailors sometimes visit the Kings Bay Naval Base. Additionally, the Colombian Navy trained at TTF because of the lack of high technology trainers in their own country.

Homeported submarines

thumb|Artist's concept of an SSGN launching [[Tomahawk (missile family)|Tomahawk Cruise Missiles.]]

Commander, Submarine Squadron 16 (CSS 16):
Ohio-class submarines:
Columbia-class submarines:
Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU)

Commander, Submarine Squadron 20 (CSS 20):
Ohio-class submarines:

Gallery

File:US Navy 090109-N-1841C-028 The ballistic-missile submarine USS Rhode Island (SSBN 740) is escorted by tug boats to her berth at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Ga.jpg|USS Rhode Island (SSBN-740) being escorted by tug boats to Kings Bay.

File:US Navy 091106-N-3737T-025 Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Rick West visits with World War II submarine veterans following a World War II submarine veteran memorial service at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay.jpg|Former Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Rick West visits World War II submarine veterans at Kings Bay.

File:US Navy 090327-N-1841C-045 The fleet ballistic missile submarine, USS Alaska (SSBN 732) arrives at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay.jpg|USS Alaska (SSBN-732) arrives at Kings Bay.

File:US Navy 050812-N-1433S-016 Former President Jimmy Carter salutes the sideboys after departing the Sea Wolf-class attack submarine USS Jimmy Carter (SSN 23).jpg|President Jimmy Carter salutes the sideboys after departing the USS Jimmy Carter (SSN-23)

File:Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel greets sailors as he arrives on Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Ga., July 9, 2014 140709-F-DT527-117c.jpg|Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel greets sailors at Kings Bay.

File:US Navy 090805-N-1841C-013 The guided-missile submarine USS Georgia (SSGN 729) prepares to get underway from Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Ga.jpg|USS Georgia (SSGN-729) prepares to leave Kings Bay.

</gallery>

References

External links

Naval Vessel Register
NSB Kings Bay website
Aerial photos of Kings Bay Submarine Base