a major overhaul, including refitting for the newer Poseidon missile system, and refueling of the reactor. On 31 May 1971, the Gold Crew was disbanded during the overhaul. [citation needed] Between 1974 and 1978 she belonged to Submarine Group 2, Squadron 16; homeported in New London, Connecticut, and advance-based in Rota, Spain. [citation needed] She conducted nuclear deterrent patrols in the Atlantic and vicinity without incident in 1975 and 1976. [citation needed] During September–November 1976, Kamehameha spent time in Charleston, South Carolina, conducting SPECOPS with other units, then onto the AUTEC range for qualifications before resuming patrol duties after her return to Rota. [citation needed] The Kamehameha entered Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) in 1981 for a non-refueling overhaul. She finished sea trials in late 1982 and worked her way from Groton, Connecticut, to Port Canaveral, Florida, and then to Charleston for her complement of missiles. She then transferred to Holy Loch, Scotland. During the late 1980s, Kamehameha completed a refueling overhaul at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. Following completion, she transferred to Groton in December 1989 for re-certification inspections and training. During this period, the Gold Crew launched the last Poseidon C-3 (no tactical warheads installed) from missile tube No. 4 off Port Canaveral, Florida. Following certification, she returned to deterrent patrol operations in November 1990 and returned to Holy Loch, Scotland. In August 1991, with the deactivation of the Poseidon missile system, Kamehameha transferred from Holy Loch to Groton and performed non-deterrent patrol operations until July 1992 when she left for conversion. For much of her operational career, Kamehameha was based in Rota, Spain. Conversion to attack submarine In September 1992 through July 1993, at Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, California, Kamehameha was converted to a Dry Deck Shelter/swimmer delivery platform, reclassified as an attack submarine, and given hull number SSN-642; her ballistic missile capability was removed, and she carried only torpedoes as armament. After her conversion there was only one crew, and her subsequent missions included SEAL special warfare operations. Following conversion, Kamehameha transferred to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, for the remainder of her operational career. Decommissioning and disposal Kamehameha was decommissioned on 2 April 2002 and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register the same day. She was the last of the original 41 for Freedom fleet ballistic missile submarines in service, and the oldest submarine in the United States Navy at the time of her decommissioning.