About this Unit
USS **Seadragon** was the name given to two submarines in the United States Navy. The first, **USS Seadragon (SS-194)**, was a Sargo-class submarine commissioned in 1939. She served with distinction during World War II in the Pacific, conducting numerous war patrols, sinking enemy vessels, and earning multiple battle stars before being decommissioned in 1946. The second, **USS Seadragon (SSN-584)**, was a Skate-class nuclear-powered submarine commissioned in 1959, notable for her Arctic operations, including the first transit of the Northwest Passage by a submarine and surfacing at the North Pole. Both vessels played significant roles in advancing U.S. submarine capabilities and naval operations during their respective service periods.
Historical Facts
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Two Notable Submarines: The name USS Seadragon has been assigned to two submarines in the US Navy: USS Seadragon (SS-194), a Sargo-class submarine from World War II, and USS Seadragon (SSN-584), a Skate-class nuclear-powered submarine of the Cold War era.
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Pearl Harbor Survivor: USS Seadragon (SS-194) was present at the Pearl Harbor Naval Base during the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941, and survived the assault undamaged.
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First Medical Operation at Sea: In September 1942, Seadragon (SS-194) made history when Pharmacist's Mate Wheeler B. Lipes performed an emergency appendectomy on a crewman using makeshift tools—one of the first such operations at sea.
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War Patrol Successes: Seadragon (SS-194) completed 11 war patrols during WWII, sinking several Japanese ships and earning 11 battle stars for her service.
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Operation "Sea Dragon": The submarine's name inspired "Operation Sea Dragon," a Vietnam War-era naval interdiction campaign, though the operation itself was not directly related to the vessel.
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First Nuclear Submarine Through Northwest Passage: USS Seadragon (SSN-584) became the first nuclear submarine to transit the Northwest Passage beneath the Arctic ice in 1960, traveling from the Atlantic to the Pacific via the Arctic Ocean.
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Historic Rendezvous at the North Pole: In August 1962, USS Seadragon (SSN-584) and USS Skate (SSN-578) met and surfaced together at the North Pole—a celebrated event in Cold War naval exploration.
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Breaking the Ice: During Arctic missions, Seadragon (SSN-584) had to surface through thick ice, sometimes using its sail to break through, demonstrating the capabilities of nuclear submarines in polar regions.
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Cold War Patrols: As a nuclear-powered submarine, Seadragon (SSN-584) played a critical role in Cold War deterrence and intelligence-gathering operations, often operating under the Arctic ice for extended periods.
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Legacy: Both vessels named USS Seadragon are remembered for their pioneering achievements—one for its daring and innovation in World War II, and the other for its technological and exploratory feats during the nuclear age.
