USS Odax ( SS - 484 ) USS " Odax " ( SS - 484 ) , a " Tench " - class submarine , was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for odax , a brilliantly colored , red and green fish belonging to the family " Scaridae " , the parrot fish es . Her keel was laid down by Portsmouth Navy Yard on 4 December 1944 . She was launched on 10 April 1945 sponsored by Mrs . John E . Fogarty , and commissioned on 11 July 1945 with Commander F . D . Walker , Jr . in command . 1940s . After shakedown off Portsmouth , " Odax " got underway 19 September 1945 for Guantanamo Bay to provide services to the Fleet Training Group . On 30 October , she sailed to Key West , Florida , for duty with the Fleet Sonar School and conducted operational training until September 1946 . In September 1946 , as part of the Bureau of Ships post - war investigation of the high speed submarine , " Odax " was selected for conversion to a Greater Underwater Propulsive Power Program ( GUPPY ) and returned to Portsmouth . Completing conversion in August 1947 , first of the GUPPY submarines , she sailed to Key West for extensive research development work . 1950s . In August 1951 , " Odax " again sailed to Portsmouth for conversion . The major aspect was the addition of a snorkel and redesignation as a GUPPY II . She first put her snorkel to tactical use in a large scale convoy exercise in the spring of 1952 . From 1952 through 1955 , " Odax " provided services to the Operational Development Force and Fleet Sonar School in Key West and to the Fleet Training Group in Guantanamo Bay . During 1956 she received new equipment of improved design at the Charleston Naval Shipyard and departed in December , bound for the North Atlantic , to operate with the British Fleet . Subsequent operations in 1957 included services to the Operational Development Force , training submariners in the latest tactics of undersea warfare . In September 1958 , " Odax " deployed to the Mediterranean Sea for a tour with the Sixth Fleet . During this deployment she transited the Suez Canal to participate in a Baghdad Pact exercise in the Arabian Sea . After her return home , " Odax " changed home port transferring to Charleston , South Carolina , in August 1959 . She sailed from here early in 1960 to return to the North Atlantic for Barrier Patrol . 1960s . " Odax " departed Glasgow , Scotland , in August 1960 for South America to conduct exercises with naval units of various South American countries . In December , she returned to Charleston to resume local operations . Between 1961 and 1964 , " Odax " conducted training operations out of Charleston with interim periods for overhaul and modernization . In August 1964 , she deployed again to South America to participate in combined operations while circumnavigating the continent , returning in December . From 1965 to 1967 she operated out of Charleston . In May 1967 , " Odax " began a deployment in Northern Europe . Upon her return to Charleston she was awarded the coveted Battle Efficiency " E " for Fiscal Year 1967 . She resumed coastal operations in October 1967 . In October and November 1967 , " Odax " provided services to the Fleet Training Group in Guantanamo Bay , Cuba for a period of 8 weeks . In February 1968 , " Odax " entered the Charleston Naval Shipyard for overhaul and upon completion in September operated in the Charleston area . In January 1969 , " Odax " participated in fleet operations in the Caribbean . In March 1969 , " Odax " deployed to the Mediterranean Sea for NATO operations . In August 1969 , " Odax " conducted training operations in the local Charleston area . 1970s and transfer to Brazilian Navy . In May 1970 , " Odax " departed Charleston for northern Europe for a five - month NATO exercise . During this deployment , while submerged in the Norwegian Sea , " Odax " learned that her home port had been changed to Key West , Florida . In December 1970 , " Odax " was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation for her participation in the NATO operations in Northern Europe . The ship was also awarded her second Battle Efficiency " E " . During 1971 , " Odax " participated in extensive tests of the new SQS - 26 sonar system . Early in the year she took time out to visit New Orleans for Mardi Gras , and to submerge in the Mississippi River for publicity purposes . In August 1971 , " Odax " went to Guantanamo Bay , Cuba to provide services for US and NATO training exercises . In February 1972 , " Odax " again provided publicity services by submerging in the Mississippi River in downtown New Orleans during Mardi Gras . In March and April 1972 , in her last military duty , " Odax " provided NATO services during a seven - week unsupported deployment to the Eastern Atlantic . On 8 July 1972 , " Odax " was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register and transferred to Brazil . Commissioned into the " Marinha do Brasil " as " Rio de Janeiro " ( S - 13 ) , she was decommissioned in 1978 and broken up in 1981 .