USS Irex (SS-482)

USS Irex (SS-482) was a Tench-class submarine commissioned by the United States Navy in May 1945, shortly before the end of World War II. Although she did not see combat during the war, Irex played a significant role in postwar naval developments, notably becoming the first submarine to be fitted with a snorkel in 1946, which allowed extended submerged operations. Throughout her service, Irex participated in numerous training exercises, fleet maneuvers, and NATO operations during the Cold War, enhancing anti-submarine warfare tactics. After a distinguished career, she was decommissioned in 1969 and later sold for scrap.