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Submarine Squadron Fourteen
Active1 July 1958 - 1992
Disbanded1992
Country United States of America
BranchUnited States Navy Seal United States Navy
Part ofSubmarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet
Garrison/HQBangor, Washington

Submarine Squadron 14 (SUBRON 14), was a United States Navy submarine squadron.

History

During World War II, USS Bushnell (AS-15) served as tender and staff headquarters for Submarine Squadron 14's staff and Division Staff in Pearl Harbor from July to September 1943.[1]

Postwar it consisted of Polaris and later Poseidon Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM) submarines based at Holy Loch, Scotland. Commissioned 1 July 1958, the Squadron arrived at FBM Refit Site 1, Holy Loch on 3 March 1961 and departed in June 1992.

The squadron was part of Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. The squadron also included a series of submarine tenders anchored out in the Loch, initially USS Proteus (AS-19), tugs, barges, small boats, and the floating drydock Los Alamos (AFDB-7).

The site was a deep, sheltered anchorage which had been a British submarine base during the Second World War with the Submarine Depot Ship HMS Forth serving as a support unit for submarines training in the Clyde.[2]

From the latter half of 1978 until November 1991 USS Will Rogers (SSBN-659) was forward deployed at Site One in Holy Loch. On 9 November 1991, Will Rogers departed Site One, the last submarine to leave Holy Loch before Submarine Squadron 14 was deactivated.[3]

FBM submarine tenders assigned to SUBRON 14

Tugs assigned to SUBRON 14

Service craft assigned to SUBRON 14

Small boats

There was also a large number of small boats used to transport personnel and supplies from the shore to the ship. Among these small boats were 40 and 50 ft (12 and 15 m) Utility Boats, LCM Mk6 and Mk8 landing craft, some with the holds roofed over for personnel transport, and a 32 ft (9.8 m) officers motorboat. The ships' divers had a LCM Mk6 modified as a dive boat. There was also a boat known as the "Box L" of uncertain heritage.

Polaris military tartan

The Polaris Military Tartan

The idea for the Polaris Military Tartan came from Captain Walter F Schlech while he was Commodore of SUBRON 14 in the early 1960s. The design of the tartan was done by Alexander MacIntyre of Strone. The tartan is the same as the Black Watch tartan with the addition of a yellow - black - sky blue - black - yellow overcheck of four threads each. The yellow and sky blue lines are said to represent the alternating blue and gold crews of the FBM submarines.[6] The tartan is worn by the members of the United States Naval Academy Pipes and Drums.

References

  1. ^ "Bushnell II (AS-15)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History and Heritage Command.
  2. ^ "Some of The History of SubRon 14 and Scotland". ThistleGroup. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
  3. ^ The New London Day. 10 November 1991. ((cite news)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ^ "YF / YFN Open / Covered Lighter (Non Self-propelled)". NavSource.[failed verification] (see YFN-900)
  5. ^ "YRBM-47 ex YFNB-42, YFN-1070". NavSource.
  6. ^ "Tartan Details - Polaris Military". The Scottish Register of Tartans. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
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