About this Unit
USS Carbonero (SS-337) was a Balao-class submarine commissioned by the United States Navy in February 1945, near the end of World War II. Although she arrived too late to see combat in the war, Carbonero participated in postwar operations, including the notable Operation Crossroads atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in 1946. Throughout the Cold War, she served primarily as a training and research submarine, supporting the development of submarine tactics and new weaponry. After decades of distinguished service, USS Carbonero was decommissioned in 1970 and later sunk as a target in 1975.
Historical Facts
• Commissioning and Namesake: USS Carbonero (SS-337) was a Balao-class submarine commissioned on 7 February 1945. She was named after the carbonero, a fish found in the Pacific Ocean.
• World War II Service: Although commissioned late in World War II, Carbonero completed one war patrol in the Pacific, providing lifeguard duties for air strikes and rescuing downed pilots.
• Postwar Operations: Carbonero served in a variety of roles after WWII, including anti-submarine warfare exercises, training, and fleet exercises throughout the Pacific.
• GUPPY Conversion: In 1949, she underwent the GUPPY (Greater Underwater Propulsion Power Program) conversion, which improved her underwater speed and endurance with new batteries and a streamlined hull.
• Operation Crossroads: Carbonero participated in the famous Operation Crossroads atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in 1946, serving as a radio relay ship and observer during the detonations.
• Missile Guidance Submarine: In the late 1950s, Carbonero was converted to a Regulus missile guidance submarine (SSG-337), playing a key role in guiding early U.S. Navy cruise missiles during tests and exercises.
• Cuban Missile Crisis: During the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, Carbonero was deployed to the Caribbean as part of the U.S. response to the Soviet missile threat.
• Vietnam War Service: Carbonero conducted several deployments to the Western Pacific during the Vietnam War, supporting U.S. operations and conducting surveillance missions.
• Decommissioning: She was decommissioned on 1 December 1970 after 25 years of service and was later sunk as a target off the coast of Hawaii in 1975.
• Legacy: USS Carbonero was one of the few submarines to serve in three major Cold War eras: World War II, the dawn of nuclear weapons, and the missile age, exemplifying the adaptability and longevity of the Balao-class submarines.
