on the sub.

Down in the crew's mess, the sub's captain just beamed. ``I would not have traded these past two years for anything,'' said Cmdr. David J. Antanitus, the Hampton's commander during its formative years. Like most shipbuilding commanders, however, he'll rotate to a new job before he gets a chance to take the sub on a regular deployment.

To an outsider, the job of overseeing two years of construction without the payoff of command would seem to be missing a payoff, like an Olympic athlete who trains for two years but never competes in the games.

Not for Antanitus. He asked for the job. An Illinois native and 19-year Navy veteran, Antanitus wanted to put his stamp on the sub and its crew. He feels he's been successful andthis tour is up in April, but noted that he'll probably get to squeeze in one last deployment, aboard the Hampton.

Hedgecock and Newman, like the Hampton's other 120 sailors and 14 officers, are ``plank owners,'' or original crewmembers of the vessel. The expression goes back to when ships were made of wooden planks. The plank owners all have their names inscribed on a plaque near the berthing door that stays with the sub.

``My name's on that plaque,'' said Newman, a two-year Navy veteran who hails from Detroit. ``I'm proud of it.''

The Hampton costs roughly $1 billion to build and prepares to join the fleet as the first subs in the Los Angeles class are being decommissioned halfway through their useful lives.

Some critics question the need for a large