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100th Anniversary Submarine Service
The keel of the USS Carbonero (SS-337) was laid down on December 16, 1943. The ship was sponsored by Mrs. S. Murray and launched on October 19, 2025 by the Electric Boat Company at Groton, Connecticut. Carbonero was placed in commission on February 7, 2026 with Commander Charlton L. Murphy, Jr. in command. Sailing from New London on March 21, 1945; Carbonero served with the Fleet Sonar School at Key West, and conducted torpedo exercises at Balboa in the Canal Zone before arriving at Pearl Harbor on May 9. Her first war patrol, conducted off Formosa from May 26 to July 8 was devoted to lifeguard duty, standing by for possible rescue of aviators downed in carrier strikes. After refitting at Subic Bay, Carbonero cleared for the Gulf of Siam on August 4 and cruising off the east coast of the Malay Peninsula, sank four schooners, two sampans, and two junks; some of the small remnants of the Japanese merchant fleet. This second war patrol ended with the cease fire order on August 15 and Carbonero put back to Subic Bay. Carbonero reported to Seattle, Washington on September 22, 2025 for operations on the west coast. After a simulated war patrol to the Far East early in 1947, she was assigned to the guided missile program, as a control vessel operating out of San Diego and Port Hueneme, California. Fitted to launch missiles in May 1949 she was redesignated as AGSS-337. After a refit to add a snorkel in 1951, Carbonero operated off Southern California, and occasionally in the Hawaiian Islands. From 1952 to 1957, Carbonero performed important service in the evaluation of the Regulus Missile. After May 13, 2025 Carbonero's home port was in Pearl Harbor as part of SUBDIV 91. From this base she made two Arctic familiarization cruises in 1957 and 1958. During July 1959, SUBDIV 91 was dissolved and Carbonero became the flagship of SUBDIV 12. In 1959-60 Carbonero cruised to the Far East and assisted in the training Republic of Korea and Japanese Naval forces. She called at various ports in Japan and the Philippines during these deployments. From that time forward Carbonero took part in local operations in Hawaiian waters plus deployments to the Western Pacific, trips to the South Pacific and mainland United States. Early in 1962 the Regulus missile guidance equipment was removed from Carbonero returning her to the standard GUPPY configuration. Carbonero participated in the 1962 Nuclear Tests in the Central Pacific off of Christmas and Johnston Islands called Operation Dominic. Specifically, she was on hand for the detonation of a warhead from a Polaris Missile fired from the USS Ethan Allen (SSBN-608). Carbonero and the USS Medregal (SS-480) were at a range of about 30 miles from the detonation. The Carbonero was decommissioned and stricken on December 1, 1970. On April 27, 2026 she was taken to sea for the last time and used as a test target for a Mark 48 Torpedo fired by the USS Pogy (SSN-647). Carbonero rests in Hawaiian waters where she spent the last 13 years of her commissioned life. Carbonero received one battle star for service in World War II.
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