USS Sea Leopard ( SS - 483 ) USS " Sea Leopard " ( SS - 483 ) , a " Tench " - class submarine , was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for the leopard seal . Her keel was laid down by the Portsmouth Navy Yard on 7 November 1944 . She was launched on 2 March 1945 sponsored by Hon . Margaret Chase Smith , United States Congresswoman from Maine , and commissioned on 11 June 1945 with Commander Robert E . M . Ward in command . 1940s . Following shakedown off the New England coast , " Sea Leopard " was ordered to the Pacific War Zone . However , hostilities with Japan ceased before the submarine ' s departure date ; and she remained in the Atlantic . The submarine then proceeded to Key West , Florida , and she remained in Florida waters through 1946 providing services to the Antisubmarine Development Force . In January 1947 , she returned to Portsmouth , New Hampshire , for her first shipyard overhaul . Next came training exercises in the Key West area until late 1948 , when she entered the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for a Greater Underwater Propulsive Power Program ( GUPPY ) modernization . Upon completion , she was assigned to Submarine Squadron ( SubRon ) 6 and home ported at Norfolk , Virginia . In November 1949 , she joined other units in cold water exercises in the Atlantic . During February and March 1950 , the submarine participated in maneuvers in the Caribbean Sea . 1950s . From August through November , she joined the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea , visiting ports of Italy , France , and Sicily , before returning home . From December 1950 to April 1951 " Sea Leopard " was undergoing overhaul at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard . For the next two years , she operated in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea , participating in fleet training exercises . In September and October 1952 , " Sea Leopard " participated in NATO operation " Emigrant , " and then cruised in Bermuda waters , until entering the Charleston Naval Shipyard in December for overhaul . Returning to duty in April 1953 , the submarine operated in the vicinity of Newfoundland and Iceland in operation " Mariner , " before returning to warmer waters in the Caribbean . " Sea Leopard " ’ s second deployment to the Mediterranean took place in May and June 1954 and was followed by her participation in NATO exercise “ New Broom II , ” in which she made successful simulated attacks on NATO convoys . The submarine entered the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in October for a six - month overhaul . The yard work was followed by her participation in " LantPhibEx , " as a member of forces opposing a simulated amphibious assault on the coast of North Carolina . In February and March 1956 , " Sea Leopard " , along with other units of SubRon 6 , set sail for the Caribbean and operation " Springboard . " She then returned to Norfolk for local operations until March 1957 , when she again joined the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean . In June , she participated in festivities celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Netherlands Submarine Force at Rotterdam , before sailing to Charleston , South Carolina , for an overhaul . Upon its completion in January 1958 , " Sea Leopard " joined operation " Springboard " in the Caribbean and then returned to Norfolk for local operations . Joining Task Group Alfa , she participated in operations to develop antisubmarine warfare tactics and readiness , until undergoing restricted availability at Charleston Naval Shipyard ( August to October 1959 ) to install a new high capacity battery . 1960s . During 1960 , " Sea Leopard " operated in the Atlantic in training exercises and fleet operations until 23 October , when she entered Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for overhaul . Following completion in April 1961 , she returned to Norfolk and operated locally until 19 August when she joined Task Force 69 in the Mediterranean to participate in NATO operation " Checkmate " and visit Rota , Spain ; Malta and Naples , Italy . On 3 October , " Sea Leopard " sailed from the Mediterranean for northern Europe and NATO operation " Devil Spread . " Arriving back at Norfolk on 10 November , she again joined Task Group Alfa for antisubmarine warfare ( ASW ) training until February 1963 . She then participated in operation " Springboard " in the Caribbean . In July , " Sea Leopard " rejoined Task Group Alfa , until entering Norfolk Naval Shipyard on 16 December for an overhaul . In October 1964 , after refresher training out of New London , Connecticut , the submarine returned to Norfolk to resume normal duties as a unit of SubRon 6 , providing ASW services to units of the Second Fleet . In March 1965 , she joined Task Group Alfa , deploying to the Mediterranean and then returning to the Atlantic to participate in ASW exercises with that group until 24 November 1966 . On 27 December , " Sea Leopard " entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard for overhaul . In July 1967 , she conducted type training with submarines and . The remainder of 1967 was spent in the Norfolk area . In 1968 , " Sea Leopard " participated in exercises " Aged Daddy V " and " Rugby Match , " and joined the search for the ill - fated submarine . From July through October , she operated with the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean , and upon her return , she remained at Norfolk for the rest of the year . On 2 June 1969 , " Sea Leopard " deployed on a special operation to the North Atlantic , returning to Norfolk on 15 August to operate in that area until entering Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on 17 January 1970 for a six - month overhaul . In October , she participated in operation " Eyebolt , " and then remained at Norfolk until getting underway early in January 1971 to participate in operation " Springboard " in January and February . From 18 May to 2 September , " Sea Leopard " was deployed to the Mediterranean ; and , following her return to Norfolk , she operated in that area for the remainder of her naval service . Transfer to Brazilian Navy . " Sea Leopard " was decommissioned and struck from the Navy list on 27 March 1973 and transferred to Brazil , where she was commissioned into the " Marinha do Brasil " as " Bahia " ( S - 12 ) . She inherited both her name and hull number from an earlier " Bahia " , ex - USS " Plaice " ( SS - 390 ) , which the Brazilians converted into a museum ship in 1972 . This later " Bahia " served as an active duty submarine in the Brazilian Navy until 1993 when she was relegated to dockside training duties .