The Underwater Warrior: The Legacy of USS Pampanito

USS Pampanito (SS-383) is a World War II-era Balao-class submarine that served in the Pacific Theater as part of the U.S. Navy’s submarine fleet. Commissioned in 1943, Pampanito completed six war patrols, playing a crucial role in disrupting Japanese shipping lanes and rescuing survivors of torpedoed Allied vessels. The submarine famously rescued 73 British and Australian POWs who had been stranded at sea after their transport ship was sunk. After the war, Pampanito was decommissioned in 1945, later becoming a museum ship in San Francisco in 1976. Today, it remains docked at Fisherman’s Wharf, offering visitors a glimpse into wartime naval history and the secret operations of U.S. submarines during WWII.