USS Cod Submarine Memorial

The USS Cod is a Gato-class submarine and the only ship in the U.S. Navy named after the codfish. The boat was commissioned in 1943 and took part in seven successful patrols in the Pacific during World War II, sinking more than a dozen enemy ships. The Cod gained special historical significance through its rescue of the crew of the stranded Dutch submarine O-19 in 1945. This incident, considered the only international submarine rescue in history, is symbolized on the boat's battle flag by a martini glass bearing the name O-19. After the war, the submarine continued to serve as a training platform for reservists on the Great Lakes until the early 1970s.

Today the USS Cod is permanently moored in Cleveland, Ohio, as a National Historic Landmark and serves as a museum ship and memorial. The boat is open to visitors daily from May through November. One special feature of the USS Cod is that it is the only intact World War II fleet submarine preserved in its original configuration. No stairs or doors were cut into the pressure hull for public access. Instead, visitors use the same vertical ladders and hatches that the crew used back then.

Inside, you can marvel at the submarine's restored and fully functional systems, including the five diesel engines, the 5-inch deck gun, the radar, and the torpedo data computer. The engines have a special connection to Cleveland, as they were built at a local General Motors factory. The museum also operates an amateur radio station and takes part in various radio events. Regular maintenance work, such as the most recent dry-dock repair of the underwater hull in 2021, ensures the preservation of this historic monument.