Bow view of the Richard B. Russell (SSN-687), probably during her shakedown trials off the Virginia coast, circa 1974. (insert link to larger image here)
Career
Awarded:	25 July 1969
Laid down:	19 October 1971
Launched:	12 January 1974
Commissioned:	16 August 1975
Fate:	recycled
Stricken:	24 June 1994
General characteristics
Displacement:	4364 tons
Length:	90.8 m (298 ft)
Beam:	31 feet 8 inches
Draft:	26 feet
Speed:	20+ knots
Complement:	14 officers, 112 men
Armament:	4 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes, SUBROC

USS Richard B. Russell (SSN-687), a Sturgeon-class submarine, was the only submarine of the United States Navy to be named for Senator Richard B. Russell, Jr. Her keel was laid down 19 October 1971 by the Newport News Shipbuilding at Newport News, Virginia authenticated by Mrs. Ina Russell Stacey, sister and official hostess for Senator Russell. She was launched at Newport News 12 January 1974 sponsored by Mrs. Herman E. Talmadge, wife of Senator Talmadge, and commissioned on 16 August 1975.

In August 1977, Russell was fitted with a large housing attached to the hull just aft of the sail, containing a tethered antenna buoy that was under development. (Later submarine classes would have such housing built into the hull fairing.) The housing gave the boat a unique profile and became known as the "Russell Bustle."

In 1980 she completed a five month Med Run. In 1981 she completed a Northern Run, for which the boat earned a Meritorious Unit Commendation. In 1982 she went through the Panama Canal to Mare Island for an extended overhaul. During her time there it was decided that she would become a special projects boat. After a short period of operations following overhaul, she underwent extensive ocean engineering modifications prior to commencing operations as a unit of Submarine Development Group 1. The ship received Navy Unit Commendation awards for several operations.

Richard B. Russell was placed in reserve, while still in commission, on 1 July 1993. She was both decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 24 June 1994, and stored in Bremerton, Washington, until 1 October 2001, when she entered the Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program. On 19 September 2002, she ceased to exist.