USS Steelhead ( SS - 280 ) USS " Steelhead " ( SS - 280 ) , a " Gato " - class submarine , was a ship of the United States Navy named for the steelhead , a North American trout found from California to Alaska . " Steelhead " ( SS - 280 ) was laid down on 1 June 1942 by the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery , Maine ; launched on 11 September 1942 ; sponsored by Mrs . Marguerite Brown ; and commissioned on 7 December 1942 , Lt . Comdr . David L . Whelchel in command . First war patrol , April – June 1943 . " Steelhead " held her shakedown off Long Island in December 1942 and January 1943 . In February , she sailed for the Pacific and arrived at Pearl Harbor on 8 April . After intensive training , she sailed for Midway Island ; topped off her fuel there on 25 April , and began her first war patrol . She planted 12 mines off the Japan ese mainland near Erimo Saki and then bombarded a steel plant and iron foundry near Muroran , Hokkaidō . She fired no torpedoes , and the submarine returned to Midway in early June . Second war patrol , June – August 1943 . On her second patrol , 30 June to 6 August , " Steelhead " fired 10 torpedoes at a Japanese task force on 10 July . Explosions were heard , but specific damage could not be ascertained . After refitting at Pearl Harbor , the ship sailed on 13 September for the Gilbert Islands where she operated as a lifeguard submarine off Tarawa during bombardment by Army aircraft . She called at Johnston Island for fuel and provisions and departed on 25 September to resume her patrol which took her into the Palau Islands . On 6 October off the Carolines , she damaged tanker " Kazalhaya " , which sank later that day . All her torpedoes expended , " Steelhead " sighted a large convoy which she trailed , while sending information to other submarines in the area . Third , fourth , and fifth war patrols , December 1943 – August 1944 . On her next patrol , " Steelhead " operated off Bungo Suido from late December 1943 to early March 1944 . On 10 January 1944 , she torpedoed and sank the 6 , 795 ton converted salvage vessel , " Yamabiko Maru " . Her fourth patrol , off Formosa from early April to 23 May , provided no targets worthy of torpedo fire , but she sank a trawler by gunfire . On 17 June , she sortied from Midway Island with and to patrol south of Formosa . On 31 July , the submarine made three successful attacks in which one ship was damaged and two were sunk . " Parche " also sank two from the convoy . Upon concluding the patrol when she arrived at Pearl Harbor on 16 August , " Steelhead " was routed to the West Coast for a much needed overhaul . Sixth war patrol , April – August 1945 . While in drydock , on 1 October 1944 " Steelhead " suffered a serious fire which required the installation of a new conning tower . After a long repair period , the submarine stood out of San Francisco on 16 April 1945 , en route to Pearl Harbor . " Steelhead " began her last war patrol on 13 May . She performed lifeguard duty in the Caroline Islands and later patrolled in the Tokyo Bay area . She made no torpedo attacks but sank two trawlers by gunfire . The patrol ended at Midway Island on 5 August and , 20 days later , she sailed for the West Coast . " Steelhead " arrived at San Francisco on 5 September 1945 and provided services for the West Coast Sonar School until 2 January 1946 . She sailed to Pearl Harbor and operated from there until March when she steamed back to San Francisco for inactivation . The submarine was placed in reserve , out of commission , on 29 June 1946 and attached to the Pacific Reserve Fleet . In May 1947 , " Steelhead " was placed in service , in reserve , and used as a reserve training ship until struck from the Navy List on 1 April 1960 . " Steelhead " received six battle star s for World War II service .