USS Flounder ( SS - 251 ) , a " Gato " class submarine , was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for the flounder , a valuable food fish , many varieties of which are found in great schools along the Atlantic coast north of Cape Cod . Her keel was laid down by the Electric Boat Company in Groton , Connecticut on 5 December 1942 . She was launched on 22 August 1943 ( sponsored by Mrs . Astrid H . McClellan ) , and commissioned on 29 November 1943 with Commander C . A . Johnson in command . First and Second War Patrols . " Flounder " arrived at Milne Bay , New Guinea , from New London , Connecticut , on 6 March 1944 , and 11 days later sailed on her first war patrol , bound for the Palau Islands . Many planes were sighted , limiting her action , and few contacts were made . She returned to Milne Bay to refit , then sailed to Manus for training , and from that base took departure 3 June on her second war patrol . In the Philippine Sea during the assault on the Mariana Islands , " Flounder " made a sound contact on 17 June which resulted in her sinking a 2 , 681 - ton transport . Escorts immediately began a persistent , vigorous , but ineffective counter - attack . On 24 June , as " Flounder " sailed on the surface , two enemy planes suddenly dived out of the cloud cover , and dropped bombs which landed close aboard , causing some minor damage . The submarine topped off her fuel tanks at Manus 6 July , and sailed on to Brisbane , Australia , to refit . Third , Fourth and Fifth War Patrols . " Flounder " cleared Brisbane on her third war patrol 1 August 1944 , and after calling at Manus on 8 and 9 August , sailed on to serve as lifeguard during strikes on the Philippine Islands . Once more , during the portion of her patrol devoted to aggressive patrol , she found few contacts , and was able to make only one attack . The intended target , a small escort , dodged her torpedo es , and drove her deep with depth charge s . " Flounder " took on provisions and fuel at Mios Woendi , New Guinea , from 28 August to 1 September , then completed her patrol in Davao Gulf , returning to Brisbane on 4 October . On her fourth war patrol , for which she sailed on 27 October 1944 , " Flounder " patrolled the South China Sea with two other submarines . North of Lombok Strait on 10 November " Flounder " sighted what was first thought to be a small sailboat . Closer inspection revealed the target to be the conning tower of a submarine , and " Flounder " went to battle stations submerged . She sent four torpedoes away , observing one hit and feeling another as the target submarine exploded and was enveloped by smoke and flame . Coming back to periscope depth a half hour later , " Flounder " found nothing in sight . She had sunk one of the German submarines operating in the Far East , U - 537 . An attack by " Flounder " ' s group on a convoy off Palawan on 21 November 1944 sank a freighter , but other contacts were few , and the sub returned to Fremantle to refit between 13 December and 7 January 1945 . Underway for her fifth war patrol , " Flounder " had to return to Fremantle from 12 to 14 January to repair her fathometer , then sailed to lead a three - submarine coordinated attack group in the South China Sea . On 12 and 13 February , her group made a determined chase after a Japanese task force , but was unable to close these fast targets . A more obliging target came her way on 22 February , when she launched four torpedoes at a patrol boat . Two of these , however , ran erratically , and only " Flounder " ’ s skillful maneuvering saved her from being hit by her own torpedoes . More trouble arrived three days later , when in a freak accident , she and brushed each other beneath the surface . Only a slight leak developed , which was quickly brought under control . Sixth War Patrol , End of War and Fate . " Flounder " prepared for her sixth war patrol at Subic Bay from 26 February 1945 to 16 March . Again with a wolfpack , she scouted targets south of Hainan , and on 29 March contacted a large convoy , which was attacked by aircraft before she and her sisters could launch their torpedoes . She closed her war patrol at Saipan on 22 April and headed home for a stateside overhaul . Returning to Pearl Harbor action - bound on the day hostilities ended , " Flounder " was ordered to the East Coast , and arrived at New York City on 18 September . After laying immobilized at Portsmouth , New Hampshire , and New London , Connecticut , she was decommissioned and placed in reserve at New London on 12 February 1947 . The second and fourth of " Flounder " ’ s six war patrols were designated " Successful , " and she is credited with having sunk 2 , 681 tons of Japanese shipping as well as U - 537 . " Flounder " received two battle star s for World War II service .