ing ▁The ▁contract ▁for ▁James ▁K . ▁Pol ks ▁construction ▁was ▁awarded ▁on ▁ 1 ▁November ▁ 1 9 6 2 , ▁and ▁her ▁ke el ▁was ▁laid ▁down ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁November ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁by ▁the ▁Electric ▁Bo at ▁Division ▁of ▁the ▁General ▁Dynam ics ▁Corporation ▁at ▁Gro ton , ▁Connecticut . ▁She ▁was ▁launched ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁May ▁ 1 9 6 5 , ▁spons ored ▁by ▁Mrs . ▁H ora cio ▁River o , ▁Jr ., ▁wife ▁of ▁Admir al ▁H ora cio ▁River o , ▁Jr ., ▁the ▁Vice ▁Chief ▁of ▁Naval ▁Oper ations , ▁and ▁commission ed ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁April ▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁with ▁Commander ▁R . M . ▁Doug lass ▁command ing ▁the ▁Gold ▁C rew ▁and ▁Commander ▁F . D . ▁Mc M ull en , ▁Jr ., ▁command ing ▁the ▁Blue ▁C rew . ▁ ▁Service ▁history ▁ ▁James ▁K . ▁Pol k ▁sa iled ▁to ▁Char l eston , ▁South ▁Carolina ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁to ▁load ▁Pol aris ▁ball istic ▁miss iles ▁for ▁her ▁initial ▁d eter rent ▁pat rol . ▁After ▁completion ▁of ▁her ▁sh aked own , ▁she ▁operated ▁on ▁strateg ic ▁d eter rent ▁pat rol s ▁in ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁Ocean ▁and ▁completed ▁ 1 9 ▁of ▁them ▁between ▁September ▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁and ▁May ▁ 1 9 7 1 . ▁ ▁In ▁July ▁ 1 9 7 1 , ▁James ▁K . ▁Pol k ▁began