From: Dictionary of American Fighting Ships

A species of small fresh-water minnow.

(SS - 567: dp. 1,560; l. 269'2"; b. 27'2"; dr. 17'; s. 15.5 k.; cpl. 83; a 8 21" tt.; cl. Tang)

The second Gudgeon, was launched by the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, N.H, 11 June 1952; sponsored by Mrs. Robert A. Bonin, widow of the first Gudgeon's last commanding officer; and commissioned 21 November 1952, Comdr. Robert M. Carroll in command.

After builders' trials, Gudgeon sailed for Pearl Harbor, where she joined SubRon 1, SubDiv 1, 18 July 1953. Local operations and training exercises continued until 11 April 1954, when Gudgeon sailed to the mainland for ASW exercises along the Washington coast. A Mare Island overhaul occupied the remainder of the year, and Gudgeon returned to Pearl Harbor 9 March 1955. She sailed 21 July 1955, for the first of five WestPac tours, visiting Yokosuka, Formosa, Hong Kong, Manila, and Guam before returning to Pearl Harbor 30 January 1956. Local operations out of the Hawaiian port, overhaul, special secret operations, and a second trip to the West Coast took Gudgeon through the next 18 months.

Sailing from Pearl Harbor 8 July 1957, Gudgeon began a history-making cruise around the world, making the Pacific Fleet Submarine Force's flagship the first American submarine to circumnavigate the globe. After exercises at Yokosuka, Gudgeon sailed west 26 August 1957. As she made her way around the world for the next 6 months, the submarine docked at Asian, African and European ports before a triumphal entry into Pearl Harbor 21 February 1958, 8 months and 25,000 miles since taking departure.

After extensive overhaul, Gudgeon again settled into the peacetime local and special operations, training exercises, and ASW activities. Three WestPac cruises, in 1959, 1961, and 1963, took her to Japan for exercises with the 7th Fleet as well as to Subic Bay and Hong Kong for liberty. The alternate years, 1960 and 1962, saw Gudgeon heading back to the mainland, where she trained and exercised along the Washington and California coasts.

Gudgeon returned from the Far East to Pearl Harbor 1 August 1963, and for the next 2 years operated in Hawaiian waters. She departed Pearl Harbor 29 November and arrived San Francisco 9 December for overhaul at Mare Island. The ship was cut in half and an 18 foot section was added during a conversion which gave the submarine new and larger engines as well as much other improved modern equipment. Modernization was completed in April 1967 and Gudgeon returned to duty in the Pacific Fleet.

Transcribed by Yves HUBERT (hubertypc@aol.com)