USS A. FROG
The A.Frog Story
For some period during the middle of it's career, the Hamilton was
lovingly referred to as the "frog" or "A.Frog".
I know it was called that while I was on board between 1968 and
1971, but it was no longer "frog" in the 1990's.
Here is what some folks have had to say about the "frog".
Date: 4/12/99
To: ssbn617ah@aol.com
I'm not exactly when it happened but, when we had did turnover and were preparing for sea. The deck crew was priming and painting. We had got a message that another Sub had a problem and they were being pulled off their patrol package. We had to leave Right Away to cover their package so we left for patrol about a week earlier than we anticipated. The black paint was not dry on the bow end and the turtle back. When we pulled back in to port a couple of months later when the patrol was over the Commodore was looking down at us and had commented that with the green spots (where the black paint washed off) made us look like a big Frog and the nickname stuck. Now that is the story that I had heard and it happened in the late 70s just before I came onboard.
However, this was not an "eye witness" account.
Date: 5/12/99
To: ssbn617ah@aol.com
...If my memory serves me right, I was on the boat at the time this happened. I was on the USS A. Hamilton (SSBN-617) (Blue) from July 19, 1978 to July 16, 1980... I believe CDR Fuqua was just relieved as C.O. and CDR ???? will have to check my paper brain. It was terrible, you could go up on the tender and look down and sure enough, spots!!!! I tell you!! It's a wonder that wewere never detected.
This corroborates the story...but what about the dates????
Subj: 617 Stories Date: 5/13/99
To: ssbn617ah@aol.com
I served aboard 617 on the Gold crew from 1975-1978. We were the crew that performed a DASO from ~ June - September. At the time I was stationed aboard her, it was referred to as the 'A-Frog'. I left the Navy in 79, so the story about the paint job in the late 70's would be incorrect. I never did ask about the nickname, but that story may be true, just not when the author said it happened.
WHO CAN TELL US MORE??
If you have more Interesting "Stuff" you would like to share
please e-mail me at habhegx15@ssbn-617.com
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Page last updated November 21, 1999