USS Parche: The Most Decorated Vessel in U.S. Navy History

Meet THEE most decorated vessel in the United States Navy…. yet she never fired a single shot in anger.

The Genesis of USS Parche

Launched in 1973, the USS Parche (SSN-683) originally started life as a “Sturgeon-class” Fast Attack Submarine. A step up from the previous Thresher/Permit-class submarine, the Sturgeon-class would become the backbone of the American submarine fleet during the Cold War. Even as the newer “Los-Angeles-class” came online, Parche would become one of the more important submarines the U.S. Navy had at their disposal.

After a short stint in the Atlantic, Parche would be deployed to the Pacific fleet in 1976 and stationed at Mare Island in Vallejo, California. But right after her arrival, the sub was sent into dry dock to undergo some rather interesting modifications. You see, the Parche had been selected to become a part of the “National Underwater Reconnaissance Office.” A highly secretive joint venture with the Central Intelligence Agency, which should be a big indicator as to what Parche’s new mission would be.

Modifications and Secret Missions

After her refit at Mare Island, Parche became just one of a handful of naval submarines whose sole purpose was to conduct underwater espionage. The other two vessels being USS Halibut (SSN-587) and USS Seawolf (SSN-575).

Now obviously, most of the modifications which were made have remained top secret to this day. But what we do know is that some of these modifications included the additions of thrusters and retractable ski legs, which allowed the vessel to rest on the sea floor. There was even a special compartment added to allow divers to enter and exit the vessel while submerged. She could even deploy small Sonar “Fish” via her torpedo tubes.

Dangerous Operations and Accomplishments

For the next 20+ years, Parche would conduct numerous missions to tap Soviet cables as part of Operation Ivy Bells in 1979. But due to the nature of these missions, it is really unsure just how big of a role she played overall. But it is safe to assume that Parche was part of it. It’s also believed that apart from tapping into underwater cables, the vessel also sometimes collected Soviet missile fragments from the seabed following test launches. It’s even believed that during the Third Taiwan Strait Crisis in 1995/1996, Parche also recovered fragments of Chinese DF-21 and DF-15 Ballistic Missiles.

But eventually, the vessel began to show her age, and even after numerous refits, it was clear to see Parche was no longer suited for these kinds of missions. Eventually, she was decommissioned in October of 2004.

A Legacy of Valor

Now while Parche never fired any shots in anger, her missions were by far some of the most dangerous and important ever undertaken by any U.S. Navy vessel. At the end of her career, Parche earned: