Submarines- Always Silent, Always Strange

From a story by Robert Hamilton in the Day.com (New London) -The official motto of the USS Augusta (SSN-710) is Any Mission, Any Time.

Shortly after Cmdr. Mike A. Haumer assumed command, he rushed Augusta to early deployment in the war with Iraq. After a four-month scheduled shipyard availabilty exceeded 7 months due to complications, Haumer got the Augusta back to the fleet in time for another long deployment this year.

The Augusta has managed five classified missions “vital to national security” without a hitch, Haumer said at a change-of-command last week during which he turned the reins over to Cmdr. James C. Childs. Along the way, the ship earned the Battle E and a Navy Unit Commendation.

For any nonsubmariners reading this, the esence and spirit of submarining is rarely told (and even then, without elaborate detail), because it is, afterall, still The Silent Service for good reason. The submarine force accounted for nearly one-third of Tomahawk missiles launched during the war. Here for all to read into is what Haumer told the crew and families at last week's change-of-command ceremony:

We never had to go off station because we couldn't fix or adapt to a broken piece of equipment. We never had to go off station because someone got hurt or because of family problems back home... You, the men of the Augusta, fixed it when it got broken and you, the families of Augusta, handled problems as they arose and made sure the ship could continue to perform, ‘Any Mission, Any Time,' ” Haumer said. “I thank you.”