Project
The goal of this project is to document the stories of the men who served on the submarine USS Lafayette (SSBN 616) from 1961-1991.
Right now this project just has one member, me. I am Gary Christopher; I served on Lafayette from April 1979 until June 1982.
Here are some of the tasks that I think need to be done. I'll be working on them, and could use your help.
- Locating and linking profiles of men who served
- Gathering stories of those who are still alive
- Gathering the obituaries of those who have passed away
Will you join me? Please post a comment here on this page, in G2G using the project tag, or send me a private message. Thanks!
Did you or a family member serve on the USS Lafayette? Please post a message and link their profile to this page. If you have any photos or memories to convey, please do!
The USS Lafayette was the lead ship of the first class of ballistic missile submarines designed for that purpose (prior classes were lengthened versions of fast-attack submarines). Her keel was laid on 17 January 1961; she was christened by Jacqueline Kennedy on 8 May 1962. She was commissioned on 23 April 1963, completed 76 strategic deterrent patrols over her lifetime of 28+ years, and was decommissioned on 12 August 1991.
