A Rare Glimpse of Navy Life: Swim Call on the USS Olympia

Today, I was deep in the Bat Cave browsing SOFREP’s archives of millions of military photos when I came across what would become today’s Pic of the Day. I chose it because, frankly, it looks like a hell of a lot of fun. A Navy swim call for the crew of the USS Olympia.

I’m an Army guy and really don’t understand this concept. Maybe some of you Navy folks can help me out a little. I can’t imagine us ever being out on duty around a body of water when our commander, out of the blue, puts out a directive saying something to the effect of, “Hey, why don’t you guys all go put on your civvy board shorts and go splashing around for a bit?”

Don’t get me wrong—I think it’s awesome. It gives me a whole new perspective on the Navy. These guys really know how to have fun and blow off steam every once in a while. Maybe I chose the wrong service.

Olympia swim call
“And while you’re at it, let’s put a diver in the water and get some really cool high-resolution photos to share with your folks back home and those poor bastards in the Army.” All I know about this photo is that it was taken somewhere in the Pacific Ocean in 2018.

The Legacy of the USS Olympia: A Submarine’s Final Journey

And while we are at it, let’s take this opportunity to learn a little bit more about the USS Olympia (SSN 717), which was named after the city of Olympia, Washington.

The USS Olympia (SSN-717), a Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine, was officially decommissioned on February 5, 2021, after 36 years of service in the U.S. Navy. Having been commissioned in 1984, Olympia served with distinction across numerous missions, including anti-submarine warfare, strike warfare, and intelligence gathering. Her final deployment concluded on September 8, 2019, marking the end of an era as one of the fleet’s most capable and versatile submarines. She saw a lot of service and served her country well.

Following her return to Bremerton, Washington, in late 2019, Olympia entered the inactivation process, where she was prepared for decommissioning at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. The inactivation officially began in August 2020, when the submarine’s systems were safely shut down, and all classified equipment was removed. The decommissioning ceremony, held under COVID-19 restrictions, involved a small gathering and a video production that included messages from past commanding officers.

While important, I won’t bore you with that here. Instead, here is a video of a swim call from the Olympia in 2016. A good time was had by all.