John Branthoover

USS William H. Bates (SSN-680) was a Sturgeon-class attack submarine commissioned by the United States Navy on May 5, 1973. Named after Congressman William H. Bates, she served primarily in the Atlantic Fleet during the Cold War, conducting numerous intelligence-gathering missions and participating in NATO exercises. The submarine played a key role in undersea surveillance and anti-submarine warfare operations, often operating in challenging environments beneath the Arctic ice. After nearly three decades of distinguished service, USS William H. Bates was decommissioned on February 11, 2000.