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USS Sea Owl (SS-405)
Encyclopedia
USS Sea Owl (SS/AGSS-405), a Balao-class
submarine
, was a ship of the United States Navy
named for the sea owl, a lumpfish of the North Atlantic.
Sea Owl was laid down by the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine
on 7 February 1944; launched
on 7 May 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Thomas L. Gatch
; and commissioned
on 17 July 1944, Lieutenant Commander Carter L. Bennett in command.
, and New London, Conn.
, Sea Owl transited the Panama Canal
and arrived at Pearl Harbor
on 23 October 1944. Her first war patrol commenced on 19 November and was conducted in the East China Sea
as part of a coordinated attack group with and . She carried trial versions of Mark 18
electric and Mark 27 ("Cutie") homing torpedo
es. After three weeks of searching for worthwhile targets, Sea Owl sank her initial victim, a Japanese
destroyer escort
, with one Mark 27. She followed with a second escort, stopped by a Mark 27 and finished off with one Mark 18, from about 1000 yd (910 m). This was the first combat success for both weapons. The remainder of the patrol was uneventful, and the submarine put into Guam
on 15 January 1944.
For her second war patrol, Sea Owl joined Piranha and in patrolling in Luzon Strait
and the South China Sea
. She was off Wake Island
early on the morning of 18 April and sent Japanese submarine RO-46 (of the of the RO-35 class) to the bottom. Her second patrol ended at Midway
on 21 April.
Sea Owl got underway for her third and final war patrol on 20 May in concert with Puffer and . This patrol was concentrated in the Yellow
and East China Seas and was devoted to both lifeguard duties and offensive patrol.
After 19 days, two Japanese destroyer
s were contacted and six torpedoes were fired from a perfect set-up. The first torpedo hit one of the destroyers in her magazine amidships, blowing her up in the water and allowing the other torpedoes to pass under the target and miss. The other destroyer joined forces with two patrol craft and vengefully dropped 84 depth charge
s during the following 14 hours but inflicted no material damage.
Four days later, Sea Owl, in a gun attack, destroyed a large, rice-laden, four-masted schooner
from which she captured two prisoners of war. On 2 July, she rescued six downed aviators after a 135 miles (217.3 km) race against darkness. All six were treated for wounds and were included in the crew for the remainder of the patrol.
When the Japanese surrendered on 15 August, Sea Owl was in Pearl Harbor preparing for her fourth war patrol.
in the Canal Zone
as a unit of Submarine Squadron 6 (SubRon 6). From October 1946 through March 1947, she made a cruise along the west coast of South America
and joined the other submarines of SubRon 6 in fleet exercises off Culebra Island in the West Indies. She next supported antisubmarine training at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
, and Key West
, Fla.
Sea Owl underwent overhaul at the Philadelphia Navy Yard from September 1947 to January 1948 followed by a brief period of refresher training in the Caribbean
. She resumed her duties at Balboa on 12 January and, for the next 18 months, operated in the Panama
area and Caribbean Sea participating in fleet training exercises.
On 27 June 1949, Sea Owl arrived at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for a regularly scheduled overhaul and, upon completion in October, was assigned to SubRon 8 in New London
, Conn.
For the next two years she operated in the Atlantic, participating in fleet exercises and antisubmarine training.
in South Carolina
for overhaul and, upon completion, sailed to New London and then to the Caribbean as part of operation "Springboard." After returning to New London in March, she departed for her first tour of duty with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean
, participating in fleet exercises and in Operation "Keystone" and visiting France
, Italy
, Spain
, Greece
, and Turkey
in a three-month tour.
Returning to New London in August 1954, Sea Owl spent the next two years in Atlantic and Caribbean waters training submarine school students and reserve personnel. After engaging in special operations in the late fall of 1956 and early 1957, the submarine resumed normal duties in the New London area until 1 September when she departed to engage in NATO exercises “Fishplay” and “Strikeback”
in the northern Atlantic, returning to New London in October.
In April and May 1958, Sea Owl participated in NATO Exercise “New Broom” and, upon returning to New London, engaged in local operations for the remainder of the year. After a five-month overhaul early in 1959, she participated in NATO Exercise “Fishplay” and spent the latter months of 1960 in her second deployment to the Mediterranean.
Sea Owl commenced 1961 with an extended upkeep period followed by local operations in the New London area. On 6 March, she departed for another Mediterranean tour followed by a scheduled overhaul in the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.
holidays, Sea Owl departed for the Caribbean to take part in the second phase of operation “Springboard” including antisubmarine warfare exercises and visits to Puerto Rico
and the Virgin Islands
. Immediately following, she was engaged in a two-week antisubmarine warfare exercise with surface and air units of the Royal Canadian Navy
in the vicinity of Bermuda
. In April 1963, she participated in Exercise “New Broom XI” with joint forces of the United States and Canada
. The remainder of the year consisted of submarine school operations and training exercises in the New London area.
On 8 February 1964, Sea Owl commenced a five-week availability at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard followed by participation in Exercise “Long Hook” with joint forces of the United States, British
, Canadian, and Dutch
Navies and in Exercise “Canus Silex” with Canadian and United States Naval forces. In September, the submarine participated in Exercise “Master Stroke” and Exercise “Canus Slamex” with United States, Canadian, and British forces and returned to the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on 2 November for a five-month overhaul.
On 7 July 1965, Seal Owl put to sea for a four-month deployment to the Mediterranean and, after returning to New London, engaged in local exercises for the remainder of the year.
Sea Owl spent 1966 providing services for the Submarine School and Operational Test and Evaluation Force in New London with time out for participation in Operation “Springboard” in the Caribbean. During 1967, she participated in various fleet and training exercises; and, on 22 May, deployed to northern Europe
an waters for a training and good will tour, returning in July.
During a discharge physical examination, one of the crewman was discovered to have an active case of tuberculosis
in an advanced stage. Due to the close environment and isolated atmosphere of the submarine, the crew was transferred to the United States Naval Hospital, St. Albans, N.Y., for three days of intensive tests. Following laboratory analysis, it was found that no other active cases existed, and the crew was returned to the submarine. Because of the unique living conditions of submarine life, Sea Owl served as a control group for clinical research for the Tuberculosis Service, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery.
Operations for the year 1968 included various fleet exercises, including antisubmarine warfare operations with destroyer units and various NATO and United States ASW naval air squadrons. Training exercises included both officer submarine school and weekend reserve training cruises.
On 30 June 1969, Sea Owl was reclassified as an auxiliary submarine, AGSS-405. She departed New London on 7 July for her final deployment to the Mediterranean. Upon return, the submarine was ordered to commence preparations for deactivation. On 15 November, after more than 25 years of dedicated service, Sea Owl was decommissioned and struck from the Navy list
. Sea Owl was sold for scrapping, 3 June 1971.
Balao class submarine
The Balao class was a successful design of United States Navy submarine used during World War II, and with 122 units built, the largest class of submarines in the United States Navy. An improvement on the earlier Gato class, the boats had slight internal differences...
submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
, was a ship of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
named for the sea owl, a lumpfish of the North Atlantic.
Sea Owl was laid down by the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine
Kittery, Maine
Kittery is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 9,543 at the 2000 census. Home to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on Seavey's Island, Kittery includes Badger's Island, the seaside district of Kittery Point, and part of the Isles of Shoals...
on 7 February 1944; launched
Ship naming and launching
The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old.-Methods of launch:There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching." The oldest, most familiar, and most widely...
on 7 May 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Thomas L. Gatch
Thomas Leigh Gatch
Thomas Leigh Gatch was an American naval officer and attorney in the 20th century. A native of Oregon, and grandson of educator Thomas Milton Gatch, he served in the United States Navy as a ship commander during World War II and Judge Advocate General of the Navy from 1943 to 1945...
; and commissioned
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
on 17 July 1944, Lieutenant Commander Carter L. Bennett in command.
World War II
After shakedown off Portsmouth, N.H.Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire in the United States. It is the largest city but only the fourth-largest community in the county, with a population of 21,233 at the 2010 census...
, and New London, Conn.
New London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
, Sea Owl transited the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
and arrived at Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
on 23 October 1944. Her first war patrol commenced on 19 November and was conducted in the East China Sea
East China Sea
The East China Sea is a marginal sea east of China. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean and covers an area of 1,249,000 km² or 750,000 square miles.-Geography:...
as part of a coordinated attack group with and . She carried trial versions of Mark 18
Mark 18 torpedo
The Mark 18 torpedo was an electric torpedo used by the US Navy during World War II.The Mark 18 was built in competition to the Bureau of Ordnance electric torpedoes, which had been in development at the Newport Torpedo Station , Newport, Rhode Island, since the 1920s, in particular the Mark II,...
electric and Mark 27 ("Cutie") homing torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
es. After three weeks of searching for worthwhile targets, Sea Owl sank her initial victim, a Japanese
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
destroyer escort
Destroyer escort
A destroyer escort is the classification for a smaller, lightly armed warship designed to be used to escort convoys of merchant marine ships, primarily of the United States Merchant Marine in World War II. It is employed primarily for anti-submarine warfare, but also provides some protection...
, with one Mark 27. She followed with a second escort, stopped by a Mark 27 and finished off with one Mark 18, from about 1000 yd (910 m). This was the first combat success for both weapons. The remainder of the patrol was uneventful, and the submarine put into Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
on 15 January 1944.
For her second war patrol, Sea Owl joined Piranha and in patrolling in Luzon Strait
Luzon Strait
The Luzon Strait is the strait between the island country of Taiwan and Luzon island of the Philippines. The strait thereby connects the Philippine Sea to the South China Sea in the western Pacific Ocean....
and the South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
. She was off Wake Island
Wake Island
Wake Island is a coral atoll having a coastline of in the North Pacific Ocean, located about two-thirds of the way from Honolulu west to Guam east. It is an unorganized, unincorporated territory of the United States, administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior...
early on the morning of 18 April and sent Japanese submarine RO-46 (of the of the RO-35 class) to the bottom. Her second patrol ended at Midway
Midway Atoll
Midway Atoll is a atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, near the northwestern end of the Hawaiian archipelago, about one-third of the way between Honolulu, Hawaii, and Tokyo, Japan. Unique among the Hawaiian islands, Midway observes UTC-11 , eleven hours behind Coordinated Universal Time and one hour...
on 21 April.
Sea Owl got underway for her third and final war patrol on 20 May in concert with Puffer and . This patrol was concentrated in the Yellow
Yellow Sea
The Yellow Sea is the name given to the northern part of the East China Sea, which is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It is located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula. Its name comes from the sand particles from Gobi Desert sand storms that turn the surface of the water golden...
and East China Seas and was devoted to both lifeguard duties and offensive patrol.
After 19 days, two Japanese destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
s were contacted and six torpedoes were fired from a perfect set-up. The first torpedo hit one of the destroyers in her magazine amidships, blowing her up in the water and allowing the other torpedoes to pass under the target and miss. The other destroyer joined forces with two patrol craft and vengefully dropped 84 depth charge
Depth charge
A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare weapon intended to destroy or cripple a target submarine by the shock of exploding near it. Most use explosives and a fuze set to go off at a preselected depth in the ocean. Depth charges can be dropped by either surface ships, patrol aircraft, or from...
s during the following 14 hours but inflicted no material damage.
Four days later, Sea Owl, in a gun attack, destroyed a large, rice-laden, four-masted schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
from which she captured two prisoners of war. On 2 July, she rescued six downed aviators after a 135 miles (217.3 km) race against darkness. All six were treated for wounds and were included in the crew for the remainder of the patrol.
When the Japanese surrendered on 15 August, Sea Owl was in Pearl Harbor preparing for her fourth war patrol.
1945 – 1951
Upon returning to the United States in September, Sea Owl was assigned to the Atlantic Fleet and was based at BalboaBalboa, Panama
Balboa is a district of Panama City, located at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal.- History :The town of Balboa, founded by the United States during the construction of the Panama Canal, was named after Vasco Núñez de Balboa, the Spanish conquistador credited with discovering the Pacific Ocean...
in the Canal Zone
Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
as a unit of Submarine Squadron 6 (SubRon 6). From October 1946 through March 1947, she made a cruise along the west coast of South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
and joined the other submarines of SubRon 6 in fleet exercises off Culebra Island in the West Indies. She next supported antisubmarine training at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, and Key West
Key West
Key West is an island in the Straits of Florida on the North American continent at the southernmost tip of the Florida Keys. Key West is home to the southernmost point in the Continental United States; the island is about from Cuba....
, Fla.
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
Sea Owl underwent overhaul at the Philadelphia Navy Yard from September 1947 to January 1948 followed by a brief period of refresher training in the Caribbean
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
. She resumed her duties at Balboa on 12 January and, for the next 18 months, operated in the Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
area and Caribbean Sea participating in fleet training exercises.
On 27 June 1949, Sea Owl arrived at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for a regularly scheduled overhaul and, upon completion in October, was assigned to SubRon 8 in New London
Naval Submarine Base New London
Naval Submarine Base New London is the United States Navy's primary submarine base, the "Home of the Submarine Force", and "the Submarine Capital of the World".-History:...
, Conn.
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
For the next two years she operated in the Atlantic, participating in fleet exercises and antisubmarine training.
1951 – 1961
Sea Owl was converted to a Fleet Snorkel submarine in the Philadelphia Navy Yard from April to August 1951 and, for the next year, she participated in Atlantic Fleet exercises in the Caribbean area. Early in 1953, the submarine entered Charleston Naval ShipyardCharleston Naval Shipyard
Charleston Naval Shipyard was a U.S. Navy ship building and repair facility located along the west bank of the Cooper River, in North Charleston, South Carolina and part of Naval Base Charleston...
in South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
for overhaul and, upon completion, sailed to New London and then to the Caribbean as part of operation "Springboard." After returning to New London in March, she departed for her first tour of duty with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
, participating in fleet exercises and in Operation "Keystone" and visiting France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, and Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
in a three-month tour.
Returning to New London in August 1954, Sea Owl spent the next two years in Atlantic and Caribbean waters training submarine school students and reserve personnel. After engaging in special operations in the late fall of 1956 and early 1957, the submarine resumed normal duties in the New London area until 1 September when she departed to engage in NATO exercises “Fishplay” and “Strikeback”
Operation Strikeback
Operation Strikeback was a major naval exercise of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization that took place over a ten-day period in September 1957....
in the northern Atlantic, returning to New London in October.
In April and May 1958, Sea Owl participated in NATO Exercise “New Broom” and, upon returning to New London, engaged in local operations for the remainder of the year. After a five-month overhaul early in 1959, she participated in NATO Exercise “Fishplay” and spent the latter months of 1960 in her second deployment to the Mediterranean.
Sea Owl commenced 1961 with an extended upkeep period followed by local operations in the New London area. On 6 March, she departed for another Mediterranean tour followed by a scheduled overhaul in the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.
1962 – 1969
After the 1962 ChristmasChristmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
holidays, Sea Owl departed for the Caribbean to take part in the second phase of operation “Springboard” including antisubmarine warfare exercises and visits to Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
and the Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands are the western island group of the Leeward Islands, which are the northern part of the Lesser Antilles, which form the border between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean...
. Immediately following, she was engaged in a two-week antisubmarine warfare exercise with surface and air units of the Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
in the vicinity of Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
. In April 1963, she participated in Exercise “New Broom XI” with joint forces of the United States and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The remainder of the year consisted of submarine school operations and training exercises in the New London area.
On 8 February 1964, Sea Owl commenced a five-week availability at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard followed by participation in Exercise “Long Hook” with joint forces of the United States, British
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, Canadian, and Dutch
Royal Netherlands Navy
The Koninklijke Marine is the navy of the Netherlands. In the mid-17th century the Dutch Navy was the most powerful navy in the world and it played an active role in the wars of the Dutch Republic and later those of the Batavian Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
Navies and in Exercise “Canus Silex” with Canadian and United States Naval forces. In September, the submarine participated in Exercise “Master Stroke” and Exercise “Canus Slamex” with United States, Canadian, and British forces and returned to the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on 2 November for a five-month overhaul.
On 7 July 1965, Seal Owl put to sea for a four-month deployment to the Mediterranean and, after returning to New London, engaged in local exercises for the remainder of the year.
Sea Owl spent 1966 providing services for the Submarine School and Operational Test and Evaluation Force in New London with time out for participation in Operation “Springboard” in the Caribbean. During 1967, she participated in various fleet and training exercises; and, on 22 May, deployed to northern Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an waters for a training and good will tour, returning in July.
During a discharge physical examination, one of the crewman was discovered to have an active case of tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
in an advanced stage. Due to the close environment and isolated atmosphere of the submarine, the crew was transferred to the United States Naval Hospital, St. Albans, N.Y., for three days of intensive tests. Following laboratory analysis, it was found that no other active cases existed, and the crew was returned to the submarine. Because of the unique living conditions of submarine life, Sea Owl served as a control group for clinical research for the Tuberculosis Service, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery.
Operations for the year 1968 included various fleet exercises, including antisubmarine warfare operations with destroyer units and various NATO and United States ASW naval air squadrons. Training exercises included both officer submarine school and weekend reserve training cruises.
On 30 June 1969, Sea Owl was reclassified as an auxiliary submarine, AGSS-405. She departed New London on 7 July for her final deployment to the Mediterranean. Upon return, the submarine was ordered to commence preparations for deactivation. On 15 November, after more than 25 years of dedicated service, Sea Owl was decommissioned and struck from the Navy list
Naval Vessel Register
The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...
. Sea Owl was sold for scrapping, 3 June 1971.