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USS Connecticut (SSN-2) There are 157 American Legion Posts throughout the 169 towns in the State of Connecticut. The newest of which is Post 222, added to our rolls in 1998 when the nuclear submarine USS Connecticut (SSN-22) was commissioned. It was the sense of the delegates to the 1997 Department (State) Convention that the Department of Connecticut charter an American Legion Post aboard the USS Connecticut. This is a fitting recognition of not only its name sake but also as a tribute to Connecticut for its well known national defense industry. This is the fifth US Naval vessel to bear the Connecticut name. The last vessel named for Connecticut was commissioned in 1906 and served as the flagship of President Teddy Roosevelt's "Great White Fleet" in its famous around the world cruise of 1907.
USS Connecticut (SSN 22) is the fifth United States Navy ship to bear the name of the State of Connecticut. Previous USS Connecticuts served in the Revolutionary War, the French and Indian War and the Civil War. The fourth USS Connecticut (BB 18) was the flagship of President Theodore Roosevelt's Great White Fleet. SSN 22 is the second of three nuclear powered attack submarines of the SEAWOLF class built by the Electric Boat (EB) Division of the General Dynamics Corporation. Connecticut was built to be the world's fastest, stealthiest and most powerful warship. its brief operational history has already included many challenges and successes that demonstrate the ship has met that goal. 1999 was spent conducting shakedown operations that evaluated Connecticut's weapons systems, sensors, stealth and engineering proficiency. It participated in Joint Task Force Exercise 2-99 as an opposing force asset, and completed acoustic trials, a shallow water exercise, and an anti-submarine warfare exercise. The year 1999 closed with Connecticut earning a Commander in Chief, US Atlantic Fleet (CINCLANTFLT) Golden Anchor award for retention excellence, the inaugural Commander Submarine Squadron Four Gold Esprit de Corps Award for leadership, teamwork, positive command climate, mission accomplishment, readiness and people programs, and the Commander Submarine Squadron Four Supply Blue "E" for excellence in food service and logistics support. In September 1999 Connecticut began a Post-Shakedown Availability (PSA) at the EB shipyard. Despite 100 percent growth in the amount of PSA work that made this the submarine force's most demanding PSA, Connecticut completed all work ahead of schedule. Additionally, this PSA concluded as the safest n the 100-year history of EB. This PSA performance led to Connecticut earning the Commander Submarine Squadron Four Damage Control "DC" for 2000. Connecticut also earned a second consecutive CINCLANTFLT Golden Anchor and a second consecutive Supply Blue "E" in 2000. Since PSA, Connecticut has conducted more evaluations of the ship's weapons systems, sensors, stealth and engineering proficiency; as well as an evaluation of the ship's performance in the harsh environment of the Arctic Ocean. On June 19, 2001, USS Connecticut became the first completely new class of American submarine to surface at the North Pole in more than 30 years.
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