Published in the January 1960 issue of All Hands, this feature examines the intricate maintenance and overhaul work that kept U.S. Navy submarines combat-ready. “Sewing up the subs” was the informal phrase for the exacting process of tearing down and rebuilding submarine systems at the shipyard — carried out by specialized crews working alongside the boats’ own engineering ratings. The article appeared as the first Polaris-armed ballistic missile submarines entered service, a period of rapid expansion that made reliable overhaul procedures more critical than ever.
Click to enlarge
