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The following was released by the Office of the Assistant to the
Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs):

                                                  No. 544-94
                                                  (703) 697-5342
                                                    (media)
                                                  (703) 697-3189
                                                    (copies)
IMMEDIATE RELEASE     September 22, 1994   (703) 697-5737 (pubic)

              FIRST LADY TO CHRISTEN NAVY'S NEWEST
              ATTACK SUBMARINE COLUMBIA (SSN 771)

     Hillary Rodham Clinton will christen the U.S. Navy's newest
submarine, Columbia (SSN 771), in a ceremony at noon, Saturday,
September 24, 1994, at the Electric Boat Division of General
Dynamics Corporation, Groton, Connecticut.  Mrs. Clinton will
break a bottle of champagne across the bow in the age old Navy
tradition, and formally name the ship.  Columbia will then slide
1,300 feet down a wooden ramp into the Thames River, the last
U.S. submarine to be launched in this dramatic fashion.  Future
submarines built in the United States will be launched by
flooding the dry dock where they are built.

     Mrs. Clinton will also be the principal speaker at the
ceremony.  Secretary of the Navy John H. Dalton will introduce
the First Lady.   Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Jeremy M.
Boorda, and Senator Christopher J. Dodd will also speak.

     Columbia (SSN 771) honors the capital of South Carolina, and
cities in Missouri and Illinois.  Six former Navy ships have
borne this name.  Their service extends from 1836 to 1984, the
most famous being the Light Cruiser Columbia (CL 56) which earned
a Navy Unit Citation and 10 Battle Stars in World War II.

     Attack submarines are a vital part of the Navy's  "Forward
...From the Sea" doctrine, bringing to bear proven shallow water
operational capabilities including mine warfare, covert coastal
surveillance and intelligence gathering, operations with special
forces and combat search and rescue.  Further, the submarine's
ability to strike targets at, below and beyond the water's
surface make it a potent asset in the nation's arsenal.

     Columbia is the 60th of 62 Los Angeles class submarines
authorized for construction by Congress.  The ship is equipped
with the Tomahawk cruise missile system for a significant land
attack and strike capability.  Columbia is an improved version of
the Los Angeles Class, with a hardened sail and retractable bow
planes for surfacing through the ice during Arctic missions.
Columbia is 360 feet long, has a beam of 33 feet and will
displace 6,900 tons submerged.  The ship will carry a crew of 127
enlisted personnel and 14 officers.

     Media wishing to attend the christening ceremony should
contact Mr. Dan Barrett, General Dynamics Corporation, Electric
Boat Division, Office of Public Affairs, at (203) 433-8202.
                               -USN-