1950 - USS Cusk (SS-348) Year by Year History

Crewmembers, Pictures and Memorabilia

USS Cusk's accomplishments spawn a movie, "The Flying Missile"

Starring Glenn Ford and Viveca Lindfors

This movie was made about the USS Cusk in 1950 starring Glenn Ford and Viveca Lindfors.  Ford plays the fictitious Commander Talbot, a somewhat  renegade submarine captain who was determined to show that missiles could be launched at sea from submarines.  Contrary to historical fact, the movie portrays the installation of the Cusk's missile and launcher as having been secretly built without the U. S Navy's knowledge or support.  A tragic accident occurs in the movie and consequently, a guilt-ridden Commander Talbot is stricken with hysterical paralysis.  But all comes out well in the end when the missile launch is a success and Commander Talbot recovers from his paralysis, is lauded a hero by his crew, and he drives off into the sunset with his girl. 

The "Flying Missile" uses actual film footage from some of the 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.

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Click here to see a list of the Cusk crewmembers who were aboard in 1950

Memorabilia and pictures from 1950:

Movie Poster from "The Flying Missile" (Picture courtesy of Tom Roseland)	Movie Poster from "The Flying Missile" (Picture courtesy of Tom Roseland)			Movie Poster from "The Flying Missile" (Picture courtesy of Tom Roseland)
The Cusk in San Francisco Bay fog as she arrives at Mare Island Shipyard December 7, 1950 (US Navy photo)		The Cusk in San Francisco Bay fog December 7, 1950 (US Navy photo)	San Francisco Bay fog December 7, 1950 (US Navy photo)
Publicity photo from "The Flying Missile" (Picture courtesy of Tom Roseland)	Newspaper article about the Cusk movie  "The Flying Missile" (Article courtesy of Tom Roseland)			Movie Poster from "The Flying Missile" (Picture courtesy of Tom Roseland)
Movie Poster from "The Flying Missile" (Picture courtesy of Tom Roseland)	Movie Poster from "The Flying Missile" (Picture courtesy of Tom Roseland)			Movie Poster from "The Flying Missile" (Picture courtesy of Tom Roseland)
Publicity photo with hanger and ramp (Picture courtesy of Zeke Zellmer

Crewmembers who were aboard the Cusk in 1950:

If you have any information, pictures, history, or crewmember names/information from the Cusk in 1950 (or any year), please contact the Cusk Webmaster. Thanks!