Our submarine, the former USS Growler (SSG-577), celebrates its 57th commissioning anniversary on August 30. Growler was commissioned at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, with Lt. Cdr. Charles Priest in command.

Growler's motto was Telo Utor Peregrinabor, or, in the words of the crew, "Have missile, will travel." Growler did indeed carry nuclear missiles: Regulus I, a guided missile with a range of 500 nautical miles (926 km) at subsonic speeds. Carrying four of these missiles, Growler patrolled from its home port, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, to the coast of the Soviet Union.

The U.S. Navy had planned for Growler to carry Regulus II missiles, an improved version of Regulus I. Regulus II was designed to fly faster and travel farther than the earlier version. However, the Navy canceled the Regulus II program just three months after Growler’scommissioning, so Growler carried out its patrols with Regulus I.

Growler's connection to Regulus II lives on in our collections. Regulus II was prominently featured on Growler's insignia, seen here on this lighter, and a Regulus II nuclear missile was positioned on Growler’s launcher for the commissioning ceremony.

Visit the Museum and see Growler, the only American guided missile submarine preserved as an exhibit and on display to the public.