STOCKER-WILLIAM

USS Trumpetfish (SS-425), a Balao-class submarine, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named fortrumpetfish, any of several fishes so-called for their deep, compressed body and long, tubular snout. Her keel was laid down on 23 August 1943 at Philadelphia by the Cramp Shipbuilding Company. She was launched on 13 May 1945 sponsored by Mrs. Oswald S. Colclough, and commissioned on 29 January 1946 with Lieutenant Commander Raphael C. Benitez in command.

Middle East deployment

President of Egypt Gamal Abdel Nasser had nationalized the previously British-owned Suez Canal, and prevailing Arab-Israeli tensions had erupted into warfare while British and French troops attacked Egyptian positions. Trumpetfish made her best speed for Suda Bay and joined the Sixth Fleet in peace-keeping missions in the eastern Mediterranean. With the cessation of hostilities, Trumpetfish resumed her Mediterranean cruise operating briefly with the Italian fleet before returning to Key West on 28 January 1957.

The submarine conducted local operations out of her home port until 29 August, when she got underway for European waters and fall NATO exercises. Air, surface, and submarine forces of NATO nations engaged in tests and exercises to hone their capabilities to defend the NATO nations against possible aggression. After returning to Key West on 25 October,Trumpetfish operated out of that base conducting training and exercises into 1959.

During her next Mediterranean deployment, she snorkeled through the Strait of Bonifacio between Corsica and Sardinia. In August 1959, as part of Atlantic Fleet dispersal plans, Trumpetfish’s home port was changed to Charleston, South Carolina. During January and February 1960, the submarine took part in operations in the North Atlantic before briefly visitingScotland. She subsequently participated in exercises in the western Atlantic Ocean, before a major refit at Charleston during 1961 modernized the ship to a Greater Underwater Propulsive Power Program (GUPPY) III configuration. The alterations increased her capabilities by adding 15 feet (4.6 m) to her length, by giving her better weapons and electronics, and by extending her range.

Cuban Missile Crisis

Trumpetfish resumed a schedule of local antisubmarine warfare operations out of Charleston, alternating deployments to the Mediterranean and duty with the Sixth Fleet. She participated in emergency operations during the tension precipitated by theCuban Missile Crisis in October 1962. The submarine later participated in several inter-type fleet exercises in home waters and in the Caribbean. Trumpetfish underwent a routine yard period at Charleston before taking part in Exercises "Plumb Bob I" and "Minibox" in 1965. After a Mediterranean deployment in early 1966, the ship took part in "Plumb Bob II" and provided services for the David Taylor Model Basin.