USS Richard B. Russell (SSN-687)
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| History | |
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 United States
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| Name: | USS Richard B. Russell |
| Namesake: | Richard B. Russell, Jr. |
| Awarded: | 25 July 1969 |
| Builder: | Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Newport News, Virginia |
| Laid down: | 19 October 1971 |
| Launched: | 12 January 1974 |
| Sponsored by: | Mrs. Herman E. Talmadge |
| Commissioned: | 16 August 1975 |
| Decommissioned: | 24 June 1994 |
| Struck: | 24 June 1994 |
| Identification: | SSN-687 |
| Motto: | "They Saved The Best For Last" |
| Nickname(s): | "Dickey B." |
| Honors and awards: |
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| Fate: | Scrapping via Ship and Submarine Recycling Program begun 1 October 2001, completed 3 January 2003 |
| Badge: |  |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Sturgeon-class attack submarine |
| Displacement: |
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| Length: | 302 ft 3 in (92.13 m) |
| Beam: | 31 ft 8 in (9.65 m) |
| Draft: | 28 ft 8 in (8.74 m) |
| Installed power: | 15,000 shp (11,000 kW) |
| Propulsion: | One S5W nuclear reactor, two steam turbines, one screw |
| Speed: |
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| Test depth: | 1,300 ft (400 m) |
| Complement: | 126 (14 officers, 112 enlisted) |
| Armament: |
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USS Richard B. Russell (SSN-687), a Sturgeon-class attack submarine, has been the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Richard B. Russell, Jr. (1897–1971), United States Senator from Georgia (1933–1971).
The contract for Richard B. Russell's construction was awarded on 25 July 1969 and her keel was laid down 19 October 1971 by Newport News Shipbuilding at Newport News, Virginia, authenticated by Mrs. Ina Russell Stacey, sister and official hostess for Senator Russell. Richard B. Russell was launched at Newport News on 12 January 1974, sponsored by Mrs. Herman E. Talmadge, wife of Herman E. Talmadge (1913–2002), U.S. Senator from Georgia (1957–1981), and commissioned on 16 August 1975.
In August 1977, Richard B. Russell was fitted with a large housing attached to her hull just aft of her sail, containing a tethered antenna buoy that was under development. The housing, called a "bustle" (and particularly the "Russell bustle"), gave her a unique profile and her nickname became "Dickey "B"." Later submarine classes would have their antenna buoy housings built into their hull fairings.
One point of interest about the fitting of the bustle came about as it was being installed. A crane was used to lift the bustle for the installation process. Unfortunately, the crane chosen was not of sufficient size to handle the extreme weight of the bustle, so that when it was lifted, the weight of the bustle was just too much. The bustle went into the water, and the crane was pulled onto its side. Two people were pinned under the crane until another crane, on a barge, could be brought in to lift the bustle out of the water, and right the other crane.
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