The Submarine That Changed Naval Warfare Forever
The USS Albacore in Portsmouth, New Hampshire looks like every modern submarine you’ve ever seen, but she came first.
From 1953 to 1972, fifty-five brave submariners lived in cramped quarters while testing revolutionary technologies that would change naval warfare forever.
Built with experimental steel and a teardrop hull based on a World War I dirigible, the Albacore tested everything from underwater parachutes to X-shaped tails, reaching speeds that shocked the Navy.
When she was decommissioned, officials called her “the submarine that gave its body to science.”
Here’s how this floating laboratory revolutionized underwater warfare and why Portsmouth citizens fought for a decade to bring their hometown hero back home.
Navy Brass Snuck a Revolutionary Submarine Into Production
After World War II, American naval leaders worried about German submarines with faster underwater speeds. Vice Admiral Charles “Swede” Momsen found a clever way around bureaucracy.
He pitched an experimental submarine as a “target practice” vessel. The Navy approved his plan on November 25, 1950, giving the go-ahead for a teardrop-hull design.
For the first time, a US submarine put underwater speed ahead of surface performance. This vessel became the USS Albacore, changing submarine warfare forever.
Portsmouth Shipyard Workers Built Something Never Seen Before
Workers at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard started building on March 15, 1952, using new HY-80 high-strength steel never before used in submarines. The teardrop hull came from the WWI R101 airship design.
Engineers tested the unusual shape at David Taylor Model Basin and in Langley Air Force Base wind tunnels. The submarine hit the water on August 1, 1953, looking like no other submarine.
It had a single 11-foot propeller instead of the usual twin screws to move better underwater.
Crew Members Signed Up for a Top-Secret Mission
The USS Albacore joined the fleet on December 6, 1953, under Lieutenant Commander Kenneth C. Gummerson.
The Navy marked it as AGSS-569, with “A” showing its experimental status. Fifty-five sailors packed into its tight quarters for underwater testing missions.
They lived in cramped spaces while pushing the submarine to its limits. The crew chose the motto “Praenuntius Futuri” meaning “Forerunner of the Future.” Most details stayed secret for decades.
First Tests Shocked Everyone With Unexpected Results
The Albacore began trials in April 1954, quickly showing amazing underwater speed and handling. The teardrop hull gave it “arrow stability,” automatically going back to level when knocked off course.
Test crews ran the submarine from New London to Key West and Cuban waters to check how it worked in different waters. The first design had bow planes and control surfaces behind the propeller.
Naval officers couldn’t believe how well it performed.
Engineers Kept Rebuilding Her Five Different Times
From 1955 to 1957, engineers moved the propeller behind the control surfaces and turned off the top rudder.
The third phase (1957-1961) added X-shaped control surfaces, ten diving brakes, a new bow, and a larger top rudder. Phase four (1962-1968) added contra-rotating propellers and a high-capacity silver zinc battery.
The final phase (1969-1971) tested slippery polymer hull coatings to cut drag. Each rebuild pushed submarine technology further.
Speed Records Left Other Submarines in the Wake
The Albacore hit 32 knots during phase three, breaking all previous submarine speed records. Later changes with silver zinc batteries and contra-rotating propellers pushed speeds to 36-40 knots.
The exact records remain secret but beat the speed of nuclear submarines at that time. The teardrop hull design matched the speed of other submarines while using half the power.
The Albacore could outrun and outmaneuver any underwater threat.
Safety Systems Came From Unexpected Places
Engineers got creative with safety features, putting a B-47 bomber parachute on the sail for emergency stopping. Ten hydraulic dive brakes around the hull let the submarine stop quickly.
The crew tested advanced sonar systems including the experimental DIMUS sonar in 1962. Scientists even coated the hull with slippery polymers to cut underwater friction.
These new ideas made the Albacore not just faster but safer than older submarines.
Every Modern Submarine Carries Albacore DNA
The Navy quickly used the Albacore hull design for the Barbel-class diesel submarines.
The nuclear-powered Skipjack class mixed the Albacore hull with reactor power, creating a deadly mix of speed and unlimited range.
Every US Navy submarine since then, from Los Angeles class to modern Virginia class, uses Albacore design ideas. At her retirement in 1972, Admiral J. Edward Snyder called her “the submarine that gave its body to science.
A City Councilman Started a Fight to Save a Piece of History
Portsmouth City Councilman Bill Keefe refused to let the Albacore rust away. He started a grassroots movement in 1982 to bring the submarine back to its birthplace.
The Portsmouth Submarine Memorial Association formed to rescue the vessel from the Philadelphia scrapyard. President Reagan signed an authorization bill in 1983 allowing the Navy to transfer the submarine.
The citizen campaign needed more than 20 permits and approvals for the complex move. Volunteers worked countless hours planning how to bring a 205-foot submarine inland to its final resting place.
The Homecoming Turned Into a Six-Month Nightmare
Workers removed a railroad trestle and cut through a four-lane highway to create a channel for the submarine. On May 4, 1985, disaster struck when the stern fins got stuck in mud during high tide.
The marine railway cradle collapsed under the submarine’s weight, derailing the entire system. The Albacore sat stranded in a muddy ditch for six months while engineers scrambled for solutions.
What should have been a triumphant homecoming turned into an engineering crisis that made national news.
Determined Citizens Refused to Give Up
Engineers built a complex cofferdam system around the stranded submarine with Army Corps of Engineers approval. Walter Pratt donated twelve massive pumps that ran for 72 hours straight.
Workers completed three separate flood-and-lift operations, moving the submarine like a ship through canal locks. Finally, on October 3, 1985, at 4:30 PM, the Albacore settled onto its concrete cradle at Albacore Park.
The citizens of Portsmouth had brought their submarine home against incredible odds, preserving a revolutionary vessel that changed naval warfare forever.
Visiting USS Albacore (Submarine), New Hampshire
The USS Albacore Museum at 600 Market Street in Portsmouth offers self-guided tours through the revolutionary submarine with 16 audio stations featuring former crew recordings.
Admission costs $14 for adults, $10 for seniors and veterans, and $8 for kids 2-12. The visitor center has exhibits about submarine technology, plus there’s a memorial garden for fallen submariners.
You can’t board if you use wheelchairs or can’t step over 17-inch barriers.
This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.
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