USS Buffalo (SSN-715) was a , the second vessel that actively served the United States Navy to be named for Buffalo, New York (another USS Buffalo was named for the animal). The contract to build her was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia on 23 February 1976, and her keel was laid down on 25 January 1980. She was launched on 8 May 1982 sponsored by Mrs. Joanne Kemp, wife of former Buffalo Bills quarterback and New York's 31st congressional district representative Jack Kemp, who was credited with winning approval to name the ship after the city in his district. Buffalo was commissioned on 5 November 1983, with Commander G. Michael Hewitt in command. Buffalo was decommissioned on 30 January 2019 after 35 years of service. Operational history 1980s Upon commissioning, Buffalo was assigned to Submarine Squadron 8 in Norfolk, Virginia. In 1984, after a five-month post-shakedown maintenance availability, Buffalo transited through the Panama Canal during a change of homeport to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where she was assigned to Submarine Squadron 1. Buffalo completed her first deployment to the Western Pacific in 1985, where she became the first nuclear-powered submarine to anchor off the coast of Pattaya Beach, Thailand. Buffalo'''s second Western Pacific deployment came in 1987, after which she was awarded her first Battle Effectiveness Award, which she proceeded to win for three consecutive years. She conducted another Western Pacific deployment from late 1988 to early 1989. 1990s After conducting Western and Eastern Pacific deployments in 1990, the next year Buffalo entered dry-dock in Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and began a yearlong Depot Modernization Period during which she was temporarily assigned to Submarine Squadron 7. In the following years, Buffalo conducted numerous deployments to the Eastern and Western Pacific, earning a CNO Letter of Commendation for her 1997 deployment.Buffalo conducted the first-ever dual Selected Restricted Availability, sharing a dry-dock with the USS Los Angeles (SSN-688) in 1998, followed by an Eastern Pacific deployment that included special Joint Operations with the United States Coast Guard and Canadian Coast Guard, for which she was awarded the Coast Guard Special Operations Ribbon. In 1999, she conducted another Western Pacific deployment, earning the Battle "E" again, which occurred again in 2001. 2000s In 2002, Buffalo entered dry-dock in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and became the first ship to undergo the multi-year nuclear refueling process in Hawaii. In