uss "hunley" (as-31) was a submarine tender of the united states navy launched on 28 september 1961 and commissioned 16 june 1962. the "hunley" was designed to tend most of the long-term requirements of the polaris class of submarines. the ship achieved several records and milestones in its service. the "hunley" was decommissioned from the regular navy, in 1995 transferred to the us maritime commission, and in 2007 sold as scrap to a metal recycling company in louisiana. in september 2008, during hurricane gustav, the decommissioned ship broke free of its moorings in the new orleans inner harbor, but caused little or no damage while adrift.