USS CARBONERO SS 337

• 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.