USS Cusk (SS-348)-World's 1st Missile Submarine

The USS Cusk made history as the world's first missile submarine on February 12, 1947 when she successfully launched a Navy "Loon" missile near Point Mugu, California. With that launch, the Cusk became the forerunner of all ballistic and cruise missile carrying submarines. The Loon was essentially a recycled German V1 "Buzz Bomb" from World War II. A few years later, the Cusk again made history when she launched another Loon and then submerged and tracked it for 105 miles.

Welcome to the homepage of the USS Cusk (SS-348, SSG-348, SS-348 and AGSS-348). This webpage contains the history of this famous submarine in pictures, sounds, videos, documents, stories and memorabilia from her 24 years of service. Those of us who sailed this great ship are very proud to share it all with you. We hope you enjoy your visit, and that you learn something interesting about the world's first missile submarine.

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SIGHTS & SOUNDS OF THE CUSK

Listen to actual recordings of the Cusk diving, going to 150', conversing over the underwater telephone (UQC-8), returning to 100', setting Condition Baker", returning to periscope depth, and surfacing.

"Clear the Bridge, clear the Bridge"

Dive! Dive!

Listen as XO Tommy Sawyer commands the Cusk to submerge. Quartermaster Lee Krabill counts out the men coming down from the bridge and engineering officer John Troutman closes the hatch and reports, "Last man down, Sir!"

WHAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT SOUND ON A SUBMARINE?

AND THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT?

Click on buttons to hear the sounds, or visit the "Sounds & Video" page for more

Check the Cusk Reunion site regularly - the 2009 agenda is getting better.

July 18th to July 24th in San Diego. The Agenda includes two days touring and dining in San Diego followed by a four day cruise to Catalina Island and Ensenada, Mexico.

Carnival Cruise Ship "Elation"

Avalon Bay, Catalina Island

Visit the "Reunions" page for more information

THE MOVIE ABOUT THE CUSK

"The Flying Missile"

This movie was made about the USS Cusk in 1950 starring Glenn Ford and Viveca Lindfors. Ford plays the fictitious Commander Talbot, a submarine captain who was determined to show that missiles could be launched from submarines.

This movie uses actual film footage from some of he Cusk's early missile launches, as well as footage of launches from the USS Tunny (SS-282) and the USS Carbonero (SS-337). These missile launches took place off-shore of the Point Mugu, California test site where the Cusk also made her famous first launch.

Visit the "1950" page for more information

Cusk Makes National News!

Parade Magazine article about the Cusk

January 11, 1953 - the article was about the Navy's new long range weapon system. Few imagined that this would be the birth of today's Trident ballistic, and Tomahawk cruise missile submarine weapon systems.

Visit the "1953" page for more recordings and footage

Remembering Yoko

Some 1967 memory jarring pictures of Yokosuka, Japan

Two skimmers walk past the "Brass Rail", a popular kicker bar in Yokosuka.

(Pictures courtesy of Rick Greer)

Anyone have a picture of the "Starlight Bar"?

Visit the "1967" page for more pictures & information

HOT, STRAIGHT, AND NORMAL

This picture was taken May 5, 1953 as the Cusk fired an exercise torpedo at the USS McDermott, DD-677. A small arrow can be seen on the left center of the picture showing the location of the nose of the torpedo - clearly, a solid hit amidships had this been a warshot torpedo fired at an enemy ship.

Visit the "1953" page for more pictures & information

OKINAWA 40 YEARS LATER

Remember White Beach?

The club on the hill?

The old wooden pier?

Those strange rock formations?

Click here on "Okinawa" to see more pictures

USS Cusk Service Medals

The USS Cusk was one of only four submarines to earn the Republic of Vietnam Unit Citation for Meritorious Gallantry. This medal was awarded to the crew of the Cusk during one of her most daring surveillance and reconnaissance missions during which she was detected and pursued by enemy destroyers. The entire mission was actually conducted completely outside Vietnamese territorial waters.

Republic of Vietnam

Meritorious Unit Citation for Gallantry

Visit the "Cusk Patches" page for more information

Cusk Sinks the USS Constellation

During an exercise off the coast of Long Beach, California, the Cusk penetrated a screen of three U.S. Frigates, anti-submarine helicopters, and anti-submarine P3 Orion aircraft to "sink" the USS Constellation, CVA-64 as she emerged from Long Beach.

A U.S. Navy helicopter can be seen through the Cusk's #1 periscope as it dips a sonar buoy in the water and searches in vain for the Cusk. In the background, a Navy frigate, the USS William H. Standley, DLG-32, is blasting away with its SQS-25 sonar while trying to find the Cusk. Minutes later, an attack approach was made on the Constellation, a solution was obtained, the Cusk simulated firing a spread of torpedoes, and then launched a symbolic flare and "black smoke" were launched from the Cusk's After Torpedo Room. A brief message was also broadcast over the UQC-8 underwater telephone letting the task force know that their screen had been penetrated, and the USS Constellation had been sunk. (In a simulated manner, of course!)

Click here on "Constellation" to see more pictures

LAST KNOWN PICTURE OF THE CUSK

Stripped and Mothballed at Hunter's Point April 30, 1971 - Cusk is first boat on left. To the right of Cusk are the USS Rock (SS-274), USS Bashaw (SS-241), USS Spinax (SSR-489), USS Pomodon (SS-486), USS Medregal (SS-480), and USS Diodon (SS-349)

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SubFlot1 News - 1968

Visit the "1968" page for more pictures & information

The Navy Hymn

Verse for Submariners

Lord God, our power evermore,
Whose arm doth reach the ocean floor,
Dive with our men beneath the sea;
Traverse the depths protectively.
O hear us when we pray, and keep
Them safe from peril in the deep.

A salute to all of our submarine brethren

on Final Patrol.

"Sailors, rest your oars!"

USS Cusk's artifacts, pictures and history...

On permanent display...

Actual Cusk artifacts, pictures and historical

data may be viewed firsthand in a permanent

display case located in the "Brevard Veteran's

Memorial Center and Military Museum" on

Merritt Island, Florida.

Click here to visit the Museum's Website

BOOM!!!

During a launch attempt on July 7, 1948, a Loon Missile exploded on deck. When the smoke cleared, the Cusk had disappeared leaving witnesses on nearby Navy ships thinking that the Cusk had been sunk by the explosion. Fortunately, the quick thinking Captain Fred Clarke had submerged the Cusk immediately to put out the fire and save the boat.

Visit the "1948" page for more pictures & information

Sea Stories

What's the difference between a Fairy Tale and a Sea Story?

Easy - A Fairy Tale begins with, "Once upon a time...". A Sea Story begins with, "This is no sh*%..."

AIR POWER - Norm Carkeek tells how the Cusk fanned the air with her screws.

What Grandpa did during the Cold War - Some great stories, reminiscing, and Cusk history by Billy Hrbacek

BUNK BAGS - Unique to submarines, these all purpose nylon bags were priceless.

THE SUB THAT SANK A TRAIN - The only ground operation against the Japanese motherland during WWII was carried out by crewmembers from the USS Barb including one who would later be COB on the Cusk.

THE PUPPY - Sam Lyons tells what to do with a puppy at sea when it's got to go.

PAINT JOB - Ken Van Hoy's innovative way to paint the deck in record time.

Home at Last

Cusk returns home from her last patrol

March, 1969, the "Reserve Pier" in San Diego - the Cusk is returning from her last Cold War and Vietnam War patrols. The flag in the foreground is the in-port flag flying from the stern of either the USS Perch (SS-313) or the USS Razorback (SS-394), both of which were docked at the pier. A Navy band played as friends and families waited on the pier.

Visit the "1969" page for more pictures & information

Merritt Island, Florida

"Where Dreams are Launched!"

Where is Merritt Island?

Answer: Where is Kennedy Space Center?

Click here to see live KSC WebCams

Includes views of Launch Pads, VAB, High Bay, etc.

(...and yes, as a matter of fact, I AM a rocket scientist.)

"Karaoke"

Where it all began...

Most people do not know that "Karaoke" was actually invented by USS Cusk crew members during a ship's party at Port Hueneme, California in 1956. They are shown here singing Perry Como's "Hot Diggity". The Cusk sailor sitting down smoking a cigarette is Clarence "Ed" Brenke. He's holding up the words to the song on poster board.

Visit the "1956" page for more pictures & information

USS Cusk Museum Display

A scale replica of the Cusk complete with missile launcher and hanger is on permanent display along with the Cusk's depth gauge, and numerous patches, pins, lighters, news articles, letters, pictures, etc.

(Pictures of new cabinet coming soon)

GROTON, Conn. - The Submarine Escape Trainer was the base icon for more than 60 years. Looming over Lower Base, its tower is still a central figure in the base seal. Thousands of Sailors passed through it during their strenuous training to become submariners.

Article from "The Dolphin" 4/2/09

Click on picture to see entire article

DIESEL SUBMARINE WEBSITES

USS Archerfish (SS-211)

USS Bang (SS385)

USS Cavalla (SS-244)

USS Cod (SS-224)

USS Grayback (SS-574)

USS Hawksbill (SS-366)

USS Menhaden (SS-377)

USS Torsk - Great color interior pictures of a boat that looks very much like the Cusk inside.

(Photo courtesy of Herman Stickland)

Cusk is shown submerging off the coast of Oahu, 1963.

Visit "1963" for more recordings & footage

Help save this great boat that avenged Pearl Harbor in the Philippine Sea.

SUBMARINE WEBCAMS

Ledgelight Lighthouse - View of New London Harbor at the mouth of the Thames. Watch submarines come and go from Electric Boat and the submarine base at New London

Silverdale & Hood Canal - Puget Sound - View of sound near the submarine base at Bangor, Washington.

Point Loma Submarine Base - View from camera at Cabrillo National Monument on top of Point Loma.

NUCLEAR SUBMARINE WEBSITES

USS Nautilus (SSN-5761)

Launch of the USS New Mexico (SSN-779) "Down the Way" has a whole new meaning with this launch.

USS Sunfish (SSN-649)

USS Cusk in 1963 coming out of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The USS Remora (SS-487) and another unidentified submarine can be seen in the background.

(Picture size is 4629 x 3923 or 3.72 MB)

* Suitable for Framing *

USS Cusk Pictures

Click on either of these pictures and you will get a very large, high resolution picture that is printable as an 8x10 or other size of your choosing.

CAUTION!!

<= These are very large pictures =>

USS Cusk in 1968 near Point Loma Sub Base (Picture size is 5714 x 3912 or 4.38 MB)

GREAT SUBMARINE LINKS, BOOKSTORES, ETC.

Submarine History:

California Center for History - Submarine History - Historical information about submarines in California including the ones built at Mare Island and the west coast submarine base at San Pedro.

CNO Submarine Warfare Division - Submarine History - Submarine historical information and pictures from the Chief of Naval Operations "Submarine Warfare Division".

HNSA Submarine War Patrol Reports - Historical Naval Ships Association with links to information to most diesel submarines from "S" class to Fleet boats.

Submarine History Online - An illustrated survey of key events in submarine history including timelines and original concept drawings.

Submarine Research Center, Bangor Washington - A free information site by a small group of retired submariners who in civilian life performed various kinds of research and who have applied this knowledge and ability to collecting and disseminating information about submarines.

UBoat.net - An extremely comprehensive and detailed website about German U-Boats. Information includes U-Boat commander listings, battles stories, books, history, etc.

US Naval Academy Submarine History - Overview of submarine history with pictures. Very little on diesel submarines but some links about nukes, boomers, submarine officers, etc.

Wikipedia - Submarine - Wikipedia's "Submarine" page with numerous links to submarine related sites on a worldwide basis.

Submarine Organizations:

Fleetsubmarine.com - a great, highly comprehensive diesel submarine website.

Naval Submarine League - a professional organization for submariners and submarine advocates.

PigBoats.com - Ric Hedman's great site that is a consolidation of a number of differing but related subjects concerning submarines and submarining.

USSVI (United States Submarine Veterans, Inc.) - National organization of submarine veterans that is a comprehensive resource of U.S. submarine information including links to bases, historical data, reunions, boat crews, etc.

Submarine Stores, Books, Games, etc.:

Rontoni's Submarine Book Store - Probably one of the oldest submarine sites out there, Ron Martini's is a great and information packed visit.

Stars & Stripes Shop - Submarines - Has just about everything Navy with a great submarine area.

St. Mary's Submarine Museum - A wide variety of Submarine artifacts, memorabilia and information are available for viewing.

Submarine Ball Caps

Submarine Books

Submarine Simulations and Games - Contains news, forums, games, store and many other submarine related items of interest on a world wide basis.

Submarine Veterans Store

Submarine Ship's Store

Submarine Shop

The Submarine Store

Torpedo Junction - Submarine & U-Boat Books

USSVI Ship's Store

SUBMARINE VIDEOS:

Science in Action - Submarines - (Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4) Learn all about diesel submarines and the USS Nautilus from Admiral Nimitz and Admiral Lockwood as they take you through all aspects of submarine life.

S-117 Diving - Small craft films the dive while running alongside (It sure takes nukes a long time to get under!)

The Silent Service - Nice historical video about the evolution of submarines

Silent Service - Submarines Part 1 Submarines Part 2 Submarines Part 3 Submarines Part 4 Submarines Part 5 Outstanding History Channel videos about U.S. fleet submarines during World War II. Highly recommended

U. S. Submarine Force Museum - Numerous interesting pictures from this museum with some annoying music playing in the background.

Yellow Submarine - Yes, just Ringo singing the famous Beatles song and nothing more. For group sing, substitute "old gray" for "yellow".