The contract to build Woodrow Wilson was awarded to Mare Island Naval Shipyard at Vallejo, California, on 9 February 1961 and her keel was laid down there on 13 September 1961.

Making port at Charleston, South Carolina, on 5 February 1964, Woodrow Wilson conducted a shakedown cruise off the lower U.S. East Coast into March 1964 and underwent post-shakedown repairs and alterations into April 1964.

Woodrow Wilson subsequently operated in the Atlantic Ocean until the autumn of 1968, conducting patrols from forward bases at Rota, Spain and Holy Loch, Scotland.

After undergoing a 13-month overhaul and conversion to the Polaris A3 ballistic missile at Newport News Shipbuilding, she was transferred to the United States Pacific Fleet via Charleston and the Panama Canal, arriving at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on 19 November 1969.

During Alfa sea trials in June 1990 and as a result of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, Woodrow Wilson was directed to condense the crew, deactivate the missile systems and convert to an SSN.

The missile compartment was configured for support of Naval Special Warfare, and the ship passed its initial SSN Tactical Readiness Evaluation.

Woodrow Wilson was assigned missions in Fleet and NATO Exercises, Atlantic SSN Operations and a primary tasking in the development of new submarine and Naval Special Warfare tactics.