The SSBN-636 sail was acquired in 1991 by the submarine group NOTU (Naval Ordnance Test Unit) for placement at Cape Canaveral, Fl . This was accomplished under the direction of the then Commanding Officer, Capt. H. L. Sheffield, USN.

Dedication Speech by Capt Harry Sheffield, USN Ret

Upon Capt. Sheffield's retirement, his successor Capt. William Borger (the current CO of NOTU - June 2003) finished the task of having the sail refurbished and mounted at the Navy Port area at Cape Canaveral, Fl.

The sail is located on the bank of the channel entrance to Port Canaveral, Fl. and in full view of the cruise ships passing in and out of the port.

The "formal dedication" took place on June 4th 2003 in conjunction with the commemoration of "The Battle of Midway". In attendance was a "plankowner" of the Nat Greene, MMCM(SS) Jim Allen, USN,RET of Gutherie, Oklahoma, who presented the CO of NOTU with a plaque that came from the NATHANAEL GREENE upon decommissioning.

The sail of the USS NATHANAEL GREENE SSBN 636 commemorates its service to our Nation along with the 40 other SSBNs that once conducted deterrent patrols throughout the world.

Further, this FBM (Fleet Ballistic Missile) submarine sail is the tangible reminder to those that pass through Port Canaveral that the submarine force is on patrol today, worldwide.

What is not seen at the location site of the Nat Greene sail is captured in the memories of those that served in this great submarine

The sail will become a project for the Levering Smith Chapter of the Naval Submarine League of which Capt. H.L. Sheffield, USN,RET is now the Chapter President.

A Brief History:

NATHANAEL GREENE SSBN-636 was a LAFAYETTE Class submarine. Her keel was laid at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine on 21 May 1962 and she was launched two years later on 12 MAY 1964.

Commissioned on 19 December 1964 with Commander Robert E. Crispin, Blue Crew, and Commander William M. Cossaboom, III, Gold Crew in command.

The NATHANAEL GREENE, was a 425 foot long hull, 33 feet wide and displaced 8,251 tons when submerged on patrol.

She was manned with 14 officers and 126 enlisted men and was capable of transiting on the surface to its dive point at 21 knots and then at 16 knots to its patrol area.

The NATHANAEL GREENE served for 22 years before being decommissioned on 12 December 1986 and subsequently delivered to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington for scrapping

The Monument contains an etching of a Submarine rescuing a downed Aviator and a brief history of the Submarine Lifeguard League. It also displays the names of 86 Submarines that rescued more than 500 downed aviators from 1943 to 1945 and it is America's first memorial to the World War II Submariners who rescued downed Aviators from the Pacific Ocean. The most well known pilot rescued was Navy Lt. George H.W. Bush, former President of the United States.

Pensacola is known as the "Cradle of Naval Aviation" and is a perfect place to honor the Rescuers of the Aviators.

Text and images from: Dennis Blado, USSVI District 4 Commander bladod4west@bsc.net

Submarine Lifeguard League website

Members of the Pelican Harbor USSVI Base present included:

Bill Vasquez, Base Commander
Tippy D'auria, Vice Commander
Jose Roese, Secretary
Tom Burgess, Treasurer
Fred Richards, Member

The dedication was well received by everyone present and appropriately honored submariners for their past and present contributions to world peace. Members of the other military services, past and present, were also honored.

Bill Vasquez, who was instrumental in the planning and creation of the site, was commended for his work on the project. The other Pelican Harbor Members present were recognized by the speakers and the crowd.

It is physically the same Fin Project --- a part of Swords to Plowshares*** --- however, the big difference is that the artist states that this site includes a memorial component specific to U.S.Submariners of the Cold War era rather than just a public art work.