From: Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships

A long, thin fish found widely along the coasts of the United States and in the West Indies.

dr. 15'3" s. 20 k. cpl. 76 a. 1 x 5", 10 x 21" tt.

cl. Tench

Cutlass (SS-478) was launched 5 November 1944 by Portsmouth Navy Yard; sponsored by Mrs. R. E. Kintner; and commissioned 17 March 1945, Commander H. L. Jukes in command.

Departing Portsmouth, N.H., 25 April 1945, Cutlass arrived at Pearl Harbor 15 July and put out on her maiden war patrol 2 days later. Assigned to patrol in the vicinity of the Kurile Islands, she entered the area one day after the Japanese surrender, remained on observation patrol until 24 August, then returned to Pearl Harbor. She sailed on 2 September for New York, arriving 24 September to receive visitors through Navy Day.

Cutlass cruised on the east coast until 8 January 1946 when she cleared for the Canal Zone. Except for 3 months of operations in Delaware Bay, Cutlass remained in the Caribbean, based at Cristobal, C.Z.. From 23 August to 2 October 1947 she made a cruise down the coast of South America, around Cape Horn, visited Valparaiso, Chile, and returned to the east coast of South America through the Straits of Magellan.

Cutlass left the Canal Zone 6 January 1948 for local operations at Key West, then entered Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in March for overhaul and modernization. Arriving at Key West 7 February 1949 she served as test submarine for Operation "Rainbow" evaluating color schemes to enhance livability, a serious problem in new submarines with long submergence capability. She continued to sail out of Key West until the summer of 1952 when her home port was changed to Norfolk.

In 1953 Cutlass cruised to the Mediterranean, visiting France, Greece, Turkey, North Africa, Gibraltar, Malta, and Spain; then sailed in Cuban waters to act as target for destroyers and aircraft engaged in antisubmarine exercises. She joined in local operations, fleet exercises and antisubmarine warfare training in the Caribbean until September 1956 when she departed for the Mediterranean and operations with NATO forces including the 6th Fleet. She visited Italy, Greece, Crete, Majorca, Portugal and England, returning to Norfolk in December. In 1958 she sailed on a north European cruise, visiting Rosyth, Scotland; Copenhagen and Korsor, Denmark; and passing through the Kiel Canal.

In the first half of 1959, Cutlass joined in the antisubmarine warfare development work of TF "Alfa" off the Virginia Capes, and in September sailed for the Mediterranean. In November she passed through the Suez Canal to join ships of the Pakistani Navy in exercises off Karachi, returning to Norfolk in December. After continued operations with TF "Alfa," she entered Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in February 1960 for an overhaul which continued until August. Returning to Norfolk, Cutlass operated locally for the duration of the year.