USS Greeneville (SSN-772)

USS Greeneville (SSN-772)

USS Greeneville (SSN-772), a Los Angeles-class submarine, is the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Greeneville, Tennessee. The contract to build her was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia, on 14 December 1988, and her keel was laid down on 28 February 1992. She was launched on 17 September 1994, sponsored by Tipper Gore, and commissioned on 16 February 1996, with Commander Duane B. Hatch in command.

The ship was named for Greeneville, home of 17th United States President Andrew Johnson, after local residents, businesses such as Greeneville Metal Manufacturing, which built submarine components, and government officials began a campaign for a submarine to be named after their town, rather than a large metropolitan area.

The Greeneville is probably best known for colliding with a Japanese fishing vessel off the coast of Oahu in February 2001.