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USS Michigan (SSGN 727)

USS MICHIGAN is the second OHIO-class submarine and the third United States Navy vessel to bear the name of the state. In October 2004, conversion started to modify the USS MICHIGAN to carry 154 conventional cruise missiles instead of 24 Trident missiles. After completion of the conversion, the MICHIGAN was redesignated SSGN 727. As an SSGN, the MICHIGAN is also able to support operations of up to 66 Special Forces Personnel for up to 90 days. The MICHIGAN rejoined the fleet on June 12, 2007.

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Crew List:

This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS MICHIGAN. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.

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USS MICHIGAN History:

USS MICHIGAN was ordered on February 28, 1975, as the second unit of the new OHIO ballistic-missile submarine class, intended to form the sea-based leg of the United States strategic nuclear triad in the Pacific. She was built by the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics at Groton, Connecticut. Her keel was laid there on April 4, 1977, with Margaret Garvey Nedzi, wife of Congressman Lucien Nedzi, serving as sponsor. After three years on the building ways, she was launched and christened on April 26, 1980, again with Margaret Nedzi breaking the traditional bottle on her bow. Following completion alongside, MICHIGAN began her sea trials on May 21, 1982, and was formally delivered to the U.S. Navy on August 28, 1982.

She was commissioned as USS MICHIGAN (SSBN 727) on September 11, 1982, at Groton. The principal speaker was Admiral Kinnaird R. McKee, then director of Naval Reactors. The dual-crew structure typical of strategic missile submarines was established from the outset, with Captain W. E. Rickman in command of the Blue Crew and Captain F. M. Conway III in command of the Gold Crew. Designed as a Trident ballistic-missile submarine, MICHIGAN was equipped from new to carry 24 TRIDENT I (C4) submarine-launched ballistic missiles, along with torpedoes for self-defense.

Almost immediately after commissioning, she entered an intensive period of shakedown and weapons system proving. On November 21, 1982, the Blue Crew conducted MICHIGAN's first TRIDENT I C4 launch, a Demonstration and Shakedown Operation (DASO) firing that also represented the 40th flight of the C4 missile. This successful test demonstrated that the ship, her crew and the new missile system were ready for operational deployment.

In early 1983, MICHIGAN shifted from the Atlantic to the Pacific to take up her assigned role in the Pacific Fleet's strategic deterrent force. On March 16, 1983, she arrived at Bangor, Washington, which would be her homeport for decades under Submarine Squadron 17. On June 3, 1983, she completed her first full strategic weapons loadout at Strategic Weapons Facility Pacific, at nearby Bremerton, taking aboard a complete complement of TRIDENT C4 missiles and associated warheads. From that point onward she joined the rotation of long, covert deterrent patrols conducted from Bangor in the Pacific theater.

During the mid-1980s, MICHIGAN alternated between these extended patrols and periodic periods in port for upkeep and crew turnover. To verify the reliability and accuracy of the TRIDENT system, she also conducted a series of test launches. On July 2, 1984, she fired four TRIDENT C4 missiles in operational tests, demonstrating the ability to launch multiple missiles in sequence under operationally realistic conditions. On April 22, 1985, she carried out four follow-on operational test launches, again with successful results, and on September 12, 1986, she conducted two further follow-on tests. These events were part of a larger program overseen by the Navy's Strategic Systems Programs office to certify the continuing performance of the missiles over time.

Through these years, MICHIGAN's routine was shaped by Cold War strategy. Based at Bangor under Submarine Squadron 17, she spent much of each year at sea on deterrent patrols, maintaining a continuous at-sea nuclear capability as part of the United States' response to the Soviet Union's strategic forces. In between patrols, the Blue and Gold crews rotated, conducting training and maintenance in port to keep the ship available for a high operational tempo. Public sources do not detail individual patrol dates, routes or patrol areas, but official Navy summaries confirm that after arriving in Bangor she spent nearly twenty years in this role and ultimately completed more than sixty strategic deterrent patrols before leaving ballistic-missile service.

With the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s and the signing of arms-control agreements such as START I, the U.S. strategic posture began to adjust, but MICHIGAN remained active in the deterrent role. On July 29, 1993, her Gold Crew conducted four follow-on operational test launches of TRIDENT C4 missiles, again verifying the performance of the aging but still central weapon system. The following year, she entered a major mid-life overhaul. On October 1, 1994, MICHIGAN arrived at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for a Trident Engineered Overhaul, a comprehensive yard period that addressed her nuclear propulsion plant, combat systems and hull structures to extend her service life. The overhaul lasted until June 7, 1995, when she rejoined the operational fleet. On October 29, 1995, the Gold Crew conducted a DASO launch of a TRIDENT C4 missile following the overhaul, validating both the ship and her weapons systems after the yard period.

In the latter half of the 1990s and early 2000s, MICHIGAN continued to perform deterrent patrols from Bangor under Submarine Squadron 17. As the strategic environment evolved after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the emergence of the Russian Federation, U.S. and Russian strategic arsenals were reduced under successive agreements, but the Trident submarines remained central to the U.S. nuclear posture. MICHIGAN's operations in this period are not publicly detailed, but official histories make clear that she remained on regular patrols in the Pacific into the early 2000s, contributing to the Navy's continuous at-sea deterrent until the decision was taken to convert some OHIO-class hulls to a new role.

By the turn of the century, the U.S. Navy was exploring options to retain the large OHIO-class hulls while reducing the number of deployed ballistic-missile platforms. MICHIGAN, along with OHIO (SSBN 726), FLORIDA (SSBN 728) and GEORGIA (SSBN 729), was initially considered for decommissioning as part of the post-Cold War drawdown. Instead, the Navy elected to convert these four submarines into guided-missile and special operations platforms (SSGNs), reusing the hulls but replacing their ballistic missiles with conventional land-attack weapons and facilities for special operations forces. MICHIGAN's formal departure from strategic missile service occurred on October 1, 2003, when she was removed from the ballistic-missile force to prepare for conversion.

On January 1, 2004, MICHIGAN entered Puget Sound Naval Shipyard to begin the extensive SSGN conversion program. Over the following years, her 24 missile tubes were modified to accept Multiple-All-Up-Round Canisters capable of holding up to seven TOMAHAWK cruise missiles each, as well as special-operations equipment and additional stores. Two forward tubes were converted into lock-out chambers for the deployment of special operations forces, and the boat received upgraded communications systems, including a Common Submarine Radio Room and high-data-rate antennas, so that she could serve as a forward command-and-control node. In 2004, she was officially redesignated USS MICHIGAN (SSGN 727), reflecting her new mission set, and the physical conversion work at Puget Sound continued until November 22, 2006.

By June 2007, the conversion was complete and MICHIGAN formally rejoined the fleet as a guided-missile submarine based at Naval Base Kitsap in Washington. In her new configuration she could carry up to 154 TOMAHAWK land-attack cruise missiles, host significant numbers of special operations personnel for extended periods, and deploy them using her lock-out chambers and optional dry deck shelters. This transformation took place against the backdrop of the post-September 11 security environment, in which conventional precision strike and special operations capabilities were in high demand for regional crises and counter-terrorism operations.

After a period of post-conversion trials and training in the eastern Pacific, MICHIGAN began her first operational deployment as an SSGN in late 2008. On November 10, 2008, she departed on a Western Pacific deployment, operating under U.S. 7th Fleet and conducting theater security cooperation with Pacific Rim partners. While the Navy did not publish a detailed list of her port visits or exercises on this deployment, open sources record that she conducted maritime security operations and engagement activities before returning to Naval Base Kitsap on December 12, 2009. This marked the completion of her first long SSGN deployment and demonstrated the operational utility of the converted OHIO-class submarines in the Pacific theater.

On June 28, 2010, MICHIGAN took part in a highly visible demonstration of U.S. undersea capabilities. On that date three OHIO-class submarines - MICHIGAN, OHIO (SSGN 726) and FLORIDA (SSGN 728) - conducted near-simultaneous surface appearances in widely separated locations: MICHIGAN near South Korea, OHIO near the Philippines, and FLORIDA in the vicinity of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. Media and analysts widely interpreted this coordinated event, which was reported after the fact, as a signal aimed in part at China during a period of tension over naval activities and missile tests in the Western Pacific. From the Navy's perspective it also showcased the global reach of the SSGN force and its ability to appear without warning in key regions.

During the early 2010s, MICHIGAN continued a pattern of deployments to the 7th Fleet area of operations. On June 13, 2012, she arrived at Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan, for a port visit during a Western Pacific deployment, underscoring the close U.S.-Japan security relationship and familiarizing Japanese naval personnel and local communities with the new SSGN platform.

In the middle of the decade, MICHIGAN shifted to an even more forward posture. By late 2013, she was forward-deployed to Apra Harbor, Guam, from which she conducted an extended deployment in the 7th Fleet area. DVIDS imagery and associated Navy captions record that this deployment lasted approximately twenty months. On March 24, 2015, she was photographed in Apra Harbor conducting a small-boat exercise with Marines from 3rd Marine Reconnaissance Battalion, illustrating her role in supporting joint special operations training.

As part of that extended Western Pacific deployment, MICHIGAN made a series of high-profile port visits. On June 23, 2015, she arrived at Busan Naval Base in the Republic of Korea during a Western Pacific patrol, participating in engagement activities with the Republic of Korea Navy and demonstrating the U.S. commitment to the defense of South Korea amid continuing tensions with North Korea. In August 2014, during the same deployment, she had visited Singapore's Changi Naval Base, again emphasizing cooperation with a key regional maritime partner. After completing this long forward deployment from Guam, MICHIGAN returned to the Pacific Northwest, arriving at Naval Magazine Indian Island, Washington, on August 1, 2015. Navy photographs from that day note that she had been forward based in Guam for twenty months, conducting surveillance, training and other missions throughout the 7th Fleet area.

Around this time, MICHIGAN also played a notable role in the Navy's integration of women into the submarine force. In 2016, sonar technician Dominique Saavedra became the first enlisted woman in the U.S. Navy to earn her submarine qualification while serving on board MICHIGAN, following earlier integration of female officers on OHIO-class submarines. Her qualification marked an important milestone in broadening the submarine community's demographics and was widely reported in U.S. media.

In 2017, MICHIGAN was again in the spotlight on the Korean Peninsula. On April 25, 2017, she arrived at Busan Naval Base, South Korea, during a period of heightened tension over North Korea's nuclear and missile programs. Media reports noted her presence alongside the carrier strike group centered on USS CARL VINSON (CVN 70), which was operating in nearby waters. After her port call in Busan, MICHIGAN joined the CARL VINSON group in the Sea of Japan for exercises, providing a stealthy strike and special operations capability to complement the carrier's air wing during combined U.S.-Republic of Korea activities. Later that year, on October 13, 2017, she again visited Busan for a routine port call, with official Navy captions stressing the objective of strengthening the already close relationship between the U.S. Navy and the Republic of Korea.

Operationally, MICHIGAN's performance in the SSGN role was reflected in a series of readiness awards. Navy releases credit her Blue and Gold crews with multiple Battle Efficiency "E" awards during the late 2000s and early 2010s, including recognition in 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014 within Submarine Squadron 19 and Submarine Group 9. These awards indicated sustained excellence across warfare areas such as engineering, weapons and communications during inspections and deployments.

After more than a decade of SSGN operations, MICHIGAN entered another significant maintenance period. On July 10, 2019 she docked at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility to begin a 17-month Extended Refit Period (ERP). According to official reports, the ERP included replacement of her massive main storage battery, structural repair and preservation work on the superstructure and ballast tanks, replacement of propulsion shafts, additional inspections and improvements in the propulsion plant, and installation of several new alterations. The aim was to ensure that the submarine could safely continue operating into the late 2020s while remaining capable of extended forward deployments.

By 2022, MICHIGAN was again deployed to the Western Pacific. On November 10, 2022, she made a brief stop for personnel near Okinawa, Japan, during a deployment to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. A 7th Fleet news release dated November 22, 2022, described her as operating under Commander, Task Force 74, conducting maritime security operations and contributing to regional deterrence.

The following year saw two more prominent appearances in Northeast Asia. In mid-June 2023, MICHIGAN arrived in Busan once again. South Korean and international media, citing the South Korean military and Reuters reporting, noted that the OHIO-class guided-missile submarine entered Busan on June 16, 2023. It was the first visit to South Korea by a U.S. SSGN in nearly six years and came the day after North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles and shortly after a failed North Korean satellite launch. The visit was framed as a visible demonstration of U.S. extended deterrence commitments under the evolving U.S.-South Korea security arrangements.

Just a few weeks later, on July 2, 2023, MICHIGAN's Blue Crew brought the submarine into Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan, for a scheduled port visit. A U.S. Indo-Pacific Command news release emphasized that she was operating under Commander, Submarine Group 7 in the 7th Fleet area of operations, and highlighted her role as one of four OHIO-class guided-missile submarines providing strike and special operations capabilities from a clandestine platform. The visit to Yokosuka was presented as part of the broader pattern of exercises, training and operational cooperation between U.S. submarine forces and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

By late 2023 and into 2024, MICHIGAN continued to be described as homeported at Naval Base Kitsap, Washington, and as a Pacific-based asset of 7th Fleet and Commander, Task Force 74. Public reporting noted her deployments and port calls but, as with earlier years, did not reveal specific patrol routes or operational timelines. Looking ahead, U.S. Navy planning documents and press reporting indicate that the four OHIO-class SSGNs, including MICHIGAN, are expected to be retired in the second half of the 2020s as newer COLUMBIA-class ballistic-missile submarines enter service and additional VIRGINIA-class attack submarines with large vertical launch payload capacities are commissioned. Reports based on recent Navy budget submissions suggest that OHIO and FLORIDA are likely to leave service first, followed by MICHIGAN and GEORGIA later in the decade, though exact dates may shift with future planning.

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USS MICHIGAN Image Gallery:

The photos below were taken by me and show the MICHIGAN at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Hi., on March 14, 2008, and (the last photo) cruising off Pearl Harbor on March 21, 2008. Note the Advanced SEAL Delivery System (ASDS) on the first two photos.

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