USS Bergall (SSN-667)

The USS Bergall (SSN-667)—named for the small fish found along the North American coast whose color adapts to its environment—was the second US Navy ship to bear this name. In commission for 27 years, Bergall was guided by her motto of “Invisible, Invulnerable, Invincible.”

Construction

On March 9, 1965, the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation was awarded the contract to construct USS Bergall. Her keel was laid down in Groton, Connecticut just over a year later on the 16th of April 1966. Mrs. Ray C. Needham served as sponsor at her launch on February 17, 1968. Upon her commissioning on June 13, 1969, Commander Billy F. Tally led a complement of 12 officers and 95 enlisted men.

USS Bergall measured 292 feet, 3 inches in length and when submerged, displaced 4,640 tons and reached speeds of up to 25 knots. One of the most innovative submarines of her time, Bergall was powered by a state of the art, pressurized water nuclear reactor propulsion plant, she pioneered the testing of a second generation sonar system for the first time at sea, and she was equipped with the SUBROC missile system—the most sophisticated weapons system available to the US Navy’s submarine force at the time.

Naval History

The USS Bergall, a unit of the Sturgeon class of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines, was the 84th nuclear vessel to enter the US Navy’s fleet and the 43rd attack-type submarine. Descendants of the Thresher class, the Sturgeon-class submarines earned a reputation as the “work horses” of the submarine attack fleet during the time period known as the Cold War. Sturgeon-class submarines, such as Bergall, spent a significant portion of time pursuing Soviet vessels in an effort to track their travels and record their noise signatures.

Shortly after her commissioning, Bergall was the first submarine to have her weaponry upgraded to MK-48 torpedoes in 1970. This event was followed by the installation of the AN/BQQ-5 digital sonar system for testing and evaluation in 1972. Bergall earned her first Navy Unit Commendation in 1972 for her superior performance and testing capacity of this novel weaponry and sonar equipment.

The first of two extended deployments for Bergall was underway by 1973. Upon completion of the second deployment, Bergall entered the shipyard in Groton, Connecticut for a 52 week non-refueling overhaul which would take place into early 1975. Following this overhaul, she was deployed to Northern Europe for 11 weeks to participate in a NATO exercise.

During the year 1976, Bergall’s deployments included a six-month journey to the Mediterranean followed by a five-month excursion to the North Atlantic. The year concluded with maintenance for the vessel in La Maddelena, Italy which lasted into 1977.

The year 1978 proved to be an exciting year for Bergall. In addition to serving as a participant in exercises for the HARPOON missile system, she became the first east-coast submarine to be equipped with a Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV), had her homeport changed to Norfolk, Virginia, and initiated a 13-month non-refueling overhaul.

Bergall completed a five-month deployment to the Mediterranean, a brief time period in Florida waters, and a three-month deployment to the North Atlantic from 1982-1983.

On April 23, 1984 in Norfolk, Virginia, the USS Kittiwake experienced a collision with USS Bergall in which her stern backed into Bergall’s sonar dome.

Yet another Mediterranean deployment was carried out by Bergall from 1984-1985. This was followed by a 31-month refueling overhaul on the west coast which was completed by April 1988. Prior to her return to Norfolk, Virginia on June 13th of this same year, the first two women to participate in sea trials aboard Bergall took place out of Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, California allowing Bergall to make another mark in history.

Further deployments for Bergall ensued through the years 1990-1995 with voyages to the Western Atlantic, the Mediterranean, and the Caribbean.

Bergall’s career concluded with 14 deployments to her credit along with numerous special operations considered essential to the national security of the United States. She was decommissioned on June 6, 1996 and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register exactly one year later. Her dismantling was completed on September 29, 1997 at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington via the Nuclear-Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program.

Asbestos Risk on the USS Bergall (SSN-667)

Asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral once praised for industrial use due to its attributes of superior heat and fire resistance, is now known to be the root cause of significant adverse health effects for numerous individuals. It is estimated that anywhere from two to six million individuals in the United States have been victims of considerable levels of asbestos exposure. The shipbuilding industry is believed to have employed approximately 4.5 million individuals between the years 1930 through 1978. It is considered to be one of the most highly responsible industries for exposing workers to asbestos.

In addition to navy veterans who served aboard submarines such as USS Bergall, those individuals involved in the construction, maintenance, and demolition of such vessels are considered to be in a high-risk group for the development of several diseases such as asbestosis, pleural plaques, and two forms of cancer (mesothelioma and lung cancer)—all diseases that can be directly attributed to asbestos exposure. These individuals spent extended periods of time living and working in the enclosed environments of submarines where numerous products, ranging from insulation materials to adhesives, gaskets, cables, and valves, were created with asbestos components. When these asbestos components were disturbed, the asbestos fibers were released into the surrounding environment, inhaled by individuals within proximity, and eventually lodged within the linings of the lungs, hearts, and/or abdomens of these victims. Over the course of time, cells affected by these fibers can be infected and inflamed, and in turn, transform into cancerous cells.

While mesothelioma is considered a rare cancer among the general population, it is far from rare within the naval community and shipbuilding industry. These populations must be made aware that their prior exposure to asbestos places them at an increased risk of developing an asbestos-related illness that will significantly impact their health and quality of life. They must also face the harsh reality that this deadly substance has already claimed the lives of many of their comrades and co-workers.

If you have developed mesothelioma from asbestos exposure on a submarine such as USS Bergall, please consult our website for further details on the best methods for seeking out the medical support (e.g., locating a physician who specializes in diseases of the lungs, treatment centers in your area, current therapies available) and legal options that are available to you. Please fill out the form on this page to receive more information.

Sources

USS Bergall
http://www.bergall.org

NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive
http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/08667.htm

Naval History and Heritage Command
http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/b5/bergall-ii.htm