SF Examiner, Dec. 27, 1963
VALLEJO - The Polaris submarine Wood row Wilson today officially joined the U.S. fleet after Chief Justice Earl Warren gave ringing praise to her namesake.
"How appropriate it is that such a ship should be named for him," Warren said at outdoor commissioning ceremonies at Mare Island naval shipyard. "Its mission is to guarantee the peace and its range is global. This epitomizes the purpose and concept of Wood row Wilson."
The 7,300-ton warship, first to bear the name of the 28th president, is capable of remaining submerged for more than two months. The Navy said there is scarcely a point on the earth's surface beyond the reach of her 16 missiles.
The power represented by the ship, Warren said, "lends further meaning to our determination not only to insure our own independence but to obtain in the long sweep of history freedom and justice for all men.
Rear Adm. Elmer E. Yeomans, commandant of the 12th Naval District, officially placed the submarine in commission in the presence of her officers, crew and a crowd of spectators at the shipyard.