I toured the USS Lionfish, a Balao-class submarine that rescued downed pilots in World War II. Take a look inside.

"The World War II submarine USS Lionfish was part of America's "Silent Service." Despite comprising less than 2% of all US Navy vessels during World War II, submarines like the USS Lionfish sank 55% of Japanese vessels in battle. This once-fearsome vessel is now a 311-foot-long museum exhibit, allowing the public to learn about its top-secret wartime operations. Take a look inside the USS Lionfish."

"Commissioned in 1944, the USS Lionfish earned one battle star for service during World War II. Over the Balao-class submarine's two war patrols, she sank a Japanese submarine, destroyed a schooner, and rescued the crew of a downed American B-29 bomber. The USS Lionfish was recommissioned for the Korean War, serving from 1951 to 1953. From 1960 to 1971, the USS Lionfish served as a reserve training submarine, teaching crew members to operate similar vessels."

"Equipment in the control room managed the submarine's depth, speed, steering, and navigation. The commanding officer issued orders from the control center or the conning tower located directly above. The USS Lionfish's conning tower wasn't open to the public, but I did get to look inside one while touring another Balao-class submarine, the USS Becuna. The USS Lionfish remains unique among World War II submarines."

USS Lionfish is a Balao-class submarine commissioned in 1944 and preserved as a museum at Battleship Cove in Fall River, Massachusetts. The 311-foot submarine earned one battle star for World War II service. During two war patrols she sank a Japanese submarine, destroyed a schooner, and rescued the crew of a downed American B-29 bomber. Submarines comprised less than 2% of US Navy vessels but sank 55% of Japanese vessels in battle. The Lionfish was recommissioned for the Korean War (1951–1953) and served as a reserve training submarine from 1960 to 1971. The control room managed depth, speed, steering, and navigation, and the vessel remained in its original configuration rather than undergoing postwar GUPPY modernization. Volunteers are actively restoring and preserving the submarine's wartime layout for public viewing.

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