About this Unit
The US Navy Submarine Service is a branch of the United States Navy that operates and maintains a fleet of submarines. These submarines are used for various missions including intelligence gathering, combat operations, and strategic deterrence. The Submarine Service requires highly trained and skilled personnel to operate these technologically advanced vessels. The Submarine Service plays a crucial role in national defense and security, operating in stealth to conduct missions around the world.
Historical Facts
• In 1900, the U.S. Navy purchased its first submarine, the USS Holland, which was the Navy's first commissioned submarine and laid the foundation for the modern submarine service.
• The USS Nautilus was the world's first operational nuclear-powered submarine and made history in 1958 by completing the first submerged transit of the North Pole.
• During World War II, the U.S. Navy submarine force accounted for over half of all Japanese ships sunk, despite comprising only a small percentage of the Navy's overall fleet.
• The U.S. Navy Submarine Service has a long-standing tradition of unique and often humorous submarine names, such as the USS Sand Lance, USS Batfish, and USS Alabama.
• U.S. Navy submariners undergo rigorous training and endure some of the most intense conditions in the military, including long periods of isolation, extreme temperatures, and psychological stress.
• The U.S. Navy operates multiple classes of submarines, including ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs), attack submarines (SSNs), and guided missile submarines (SSGNs), each with distinct missions and capabilities.
• The U.S. Navy Submarine Service played a critical role in the Cold War, conducting espionage missions, collecting intelligence, and deterring potential adversaries through the deployment of nuclear-armed submarines.
• The U.S. Navy's Submarine Force has a storied history of innovation and technological advancement, including the development of advanced sonar systems, periscope technology, and stealth capabilities.
• U.S. Navy submarines have been involved in a number of historic incidents, such as the accidental collision of the USS Greeneville with a Japanese fishing vessel in 2001 and the sinking of the USS Thresher during a routine exercise in 1963.
• The U.S. Navy Submarine Service continues to play a vital role in national security, with submarines regularly deployed around the world to conduct intelligence-gathering missions, support special operations forces, and ensure the security of the United States and its allies.
