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The Christmas standdown ended on 2 January 1973 and the USS SARGO then commenced weekly operations, conducting sea trials and post-overhaul tests. During February USS SARGO conducted local operations from Pearl Harbor, HI performing operational tests on the AN/WLR-8 ESM equipment. Commenced training for the upcoming Operational Reactor Safeguards Examination (ORSE). USS SARGO spent the first two weeks of March in upkeep at Pearl Harbor Submarine Base. The remainder of the March and April was spent in local operations and AN/WLR-8 evaluation. USS SARGO completed a second two week upkeep at Pearl Harbor Submarine Base and then spent the rest of May in local operations and AN/WLR-8 evaluation. On June 13 USS SARGO successfully passed the ORSE and the ship entered upkeep at the Pearl Harbor Submarine Base. CDR Michael A. McBride, Commanding Officer was awarded a Gold Star in lieu of a second Navy Commendation Medal. LCDR Robert G. Partlow, Executive Officer was awarded a Gold Star in lieu of a third Navy Achievement Medal. LCDR Pete J. Graef, Engineer was awarded a Gold Star in lieu of a second Navy Achievement Medal. LTJG Richard W. Talipsky, LTJG R. L. Merring and MMC(SS) Edward. J. Lukas received Letters of Commendation from COMSUBPAC. MM3(SS) G. R. Elliott received a Letter of Commendation from COMSUBDIV ELEVEN. RM3(SS) M. Nixon received the Meritorious Unit Commendation. During July through August the USS SARGO spent several weeks in upkeep followed by Torpedo Exercises with the USS BLUEBACK and USS POGY. The ship then entered Pearl Harbor for Pre-overhaul Upkeep. On 5 September USS SARGO entered the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard for an extensive Refueling Overhaul and remained there through the end of the year. Michael Hacking ETR2(SS)(1973 – 1976) remembers going into dry dock – “I reported onboard in October, right after the boat had been docked. Because I was a newly, unqualified NUB I was assigned the critical duties of Nitrogen Watch. This was a very prestigious watch down on the floor of the dry dock monitoring the bank of Nitrogen bottles which provided a purge to various systems on the boat. Because it was Hawaii, and because it was so dank down on the deck, at night the bottom of the dry dock was thick with mosquitoes. We used to smoke cigarettes non-stop and spray bug-spray in the air creating a toxic cloud of smoke and poison. It’s a wonder we didn’t kill ourselves.” A sailor from the USS BARBEL (SS 580) passed along the following story from the 1973 Enlisted Submarine Ball at the Royal Hawaiian: “The Goat Locker on USS BARBEL (SS 580) invited Linda Lovelace, that’s right, Ms Deepthroat, to be our guest at the ball. It was all cool until COMSUBPAC Chief of Staff heard about it and went ballistic. Shit does roll down hill right to our skipper, Howard Eldridge. Commodore SS1 told him to get it "turned off." As it turned out she was in France making a movie. Anyway, we had just as much fun without her. COMSUBPAC CMAA TMCM(SS) John Stein was stationed at entrance to ensure she did not come in if she showed up. A place setting with the Chiefs was set for her. We kept passing off her full plates as If she was actually eating. A lot of sailors were looking for her. The classic for me was when the USS SARGO TMC(SS) came looking for her. He was really "tuned up" I told him, "you just missed her; she went up to room 210 with three of the guys off the boat." Man it was some funny shit that night!! Even the wives went along with it. Our skipper who was there loved it!!” Can anyone identify the mysterious TMC? On 05 Sep 1973 SARGO was awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation for operations in December 1971-January 1972. The following awards were also presented: ETR2(SS) W. H. Fiscus was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal and ETR3(SS) J. S. Brunk received a Letter of Commendation from COMTHIRDFLT for their performance on the Operational Evaluation of the AN/WLR-8 ESM equipment. FTGC(SS) William P. Justice and FTG2(SS) Jim P. Locke received Letters of Commendation from COMSUBRON ONE for outstanding performance in conjunction with the award of the SUBDIV ELEVEN Fire Control “E” Award for Fiscal Year 1973 to USS SARGO. EMCS(SS) Robert L. Conibear received a Letter of Commendation from COMSUBRON ONE for his performance during the Operational Reactor Safeguards Examination (ORSE). In addition CDR McBride presented Letters of Commendation to MM1(SS) Michael F. Roe, MM2(SS) R. L. Christensen, ETR2(SS) Kevin E. Grimes, MM3(SS) Ralph J. LaPrairie, MM2(SS) Dave M. Hirt, MM1(SS) Tom R. Lam, EM2(SS) John M. Keyes, EM2(SS) Raymond G. Lathrop, and ETR2(SS) Ronald C. Berger for their performance during the Operational Reactor Safeguards Examination.