USS Drum (SSN-677) - Service History - 1990s

1990s

1990 began with repairs and alterations that were completed in March. On 1 April 1990, Drum transferred from Submarine Squadron 11 to Submarine Squadron 3.

Drum participated in RIMPAC ’90, which included a port call at Lahaina, Maui, in the spring of 1990. After a summer of preparations, Drum departed San Diego in September 1990 for another deployment to the Western Pacific, during which she made port calls at Guam, Japan, and Singapore. Drum was awarded her fourth Meritorious Unit Commendation for operations conducted during this deployment, and while deployed, was awarded the Battle Efficiency Award (Battle “E”) for Submarine Squadron 3 for her outstanding performance during Fiscal Year 1990. Drum returned to San Diego in March 1991.

In August 1991, Drum commenced independent operations. She returned to San Diego in late September 1991. In October 1991, she participated in San Francisco's Fleet Week '91.

Drum was awarded the Battle “E” for Submarine Squadron 3, for the second consecutive year for outstanding performance in Fiscal Year 1991. On 22 November 1991, Commander Wayne A. Thornton relieved Commander Engelhardt, becoming Drum's eighth commanding officer.

In February 1992, Drum departed on another deployment to the Western Pacific. Port visits included Pearl Harbor, Japan, Guam, Singapore, and Australia, and she completed a 680 nautical miles (1,260 km) transit of the inner passage of the Great Barrier Reef. During this deployment, she was awarded her the fifth Meritorious Unit Commendation. She returned to San Diego in August 1992, then hosted the first tour of a U.S. nuclear submarine by senior Russian naval officers and dignitaries.

Drum departed San Diego on her next Western Pacific deployment on 27 December 1993. During this deployment, she visited Guam, Japan, and New Caledonia.

On 8 August 1994, Commander Steve Clark Hall relieved Commander Thornton to become Drum's ninth commanding officer. Later in 1994, Drum participated in San Francisco's Fleet Week '94 and made a port visit to Astoria, Oregon.

On 13 February 1995, Drum departed San Diego for her thirteenth and last deployment to the Western Pacific, which included a visit to Guam. While leaving port in Hong Kong during the deployment, she collided with the Panamanian-registered cargo ship Sei Bright. Sei Bright suffered slight damaged to her bow. No one was injured on either ship nor did Drum suffer notable damaged. Drum returned to San Diego on 13 April 1995. Commander Hall was relieved of duty pending investigation of the collision, later resolved as “not for cause.” On 27 April 1995, Commander Mitchell K. Sauls became Drum's tenth and final commanding officer.

At 1300 hours on 20 May 1995, an inactivation ceremony was held for Drum at San Diego. In late May 1995, she departed San Diego for the last time, destined for Pearl Harbor, where she would undergo deactivation at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard.