USS Spinax ( SS - 489 ) USS " Spinax " ( SS / SSR - 489 ) , a " Tench " - class submarine , was the only ship of the United States Navy named after the spinax , one of the spiny sharks ( dogfish sharks ) scientifically known as " Squalidal " . Her keel was laid down on 14 May 1945 by the Portsmouth Navy Yard . She was launched on 25 November 1945 sponsored by Mrs . Tom C . Clark , and commissioned on 20 September 1946 with Commander A . R . Faust in command . 1940s . " Spinax " moved to New London , Connecticut , on 15 November and was assigned to Submarine Force , Atlantic Fleet . On 15 December 1946 , she sailed for the Caribbean Sea to begin her shakedown cruise which lasted until 28 January 1947 . She returned to New London and participated in local operations until November when a fleet exercise took her north of the Arctic Circle near Labrador . In January 1948 , designated a radar picket submarine , her hull classification symbol was changed from SS to SSR . After conducting operations in the Caribbean during the first part of the year , she returned to her home yard , Portsmouth Naval Shipyard , in May for an overhaul which lasted until the end of October . In addition to the installation of much radar and communication equipment , the work included the removal of her aft torpedo tubes , demilitarization of two forward tubes , installation of a snorkel system , and conversion of the after room into a combat information center . When she emerged from the yard , " Spinax " possessed the capabilities of a radar picket destroyer . " Spinax " deployed to the Mediterranean Sea from 3 January to 3 March 1949 , as the first postwar submarine unit of the Sixth Fleet . Upon her return to New London , she was assigned to Submarine Squadron ( SubRon ) 6 based at Norfolk , Virginia — the first time since World War I that submarines had been scheduled to operate from that base . She conducted operations along the east coast until again being deployed to the Sixth Fleet from 6 January to 23 May 1950 . She returned to Norfolk until 12 June when she was transferred to the West Coast . 1950s . The submarine arrived at San Diego , California , on 29 June and proceeded up the coast to the San Francisco Naval Shipyard for an overhaul . She made a cruise to Pearl Harbor from 17 August to 16 October 1951 and returned to San Diego . She became a unit of Submarine Division 53 on 1 January 1952 and resumed her routine duties . " Spinax " was overhauled at Mare Island from April through early August and returned to San Diego on 7 August 1952 . " Spinax " operated out of that port until 1 November 1954 when she sailed for an extended tour in the Far East . The submarine operated with the Seventh Fleet and then visited the Philippines , Hong Kong , Formosa , and Japan before returning to San Diego on 7 May 1955 . Overhaul at Mare Island from June through October 1956 was followed by refresher training in the San Diego area . She was deployed to the western Pacific from 4 January to 1 July 1957 and again from 3 July to 16 December 1958 . Emphasis in antisubmarine warfare resulted in " Spinax " ’ s being converted to a Fleet Snorkel submarine . This was accomplished at Mare Island from 13 April to 11 September 1959 . All radar except search and fire control were removed , the communication facility was reduced to that of a regular submarine ; and the combat information center was converted into living quarters . The ship received improved sonar and fire control equipment , and modifications were made to her hull . On 15 August , she resumed the hull classification symbol SS - 489 . When the conversion was completed , the submarine conducted refresher training and local operations until early 1960 . A brief shot of the ship was used in the 1953 sci - fi movie " Phantom from Space " where she is seen on radar picket duty . 1960s and fate . " Spinax " departed San Diego on 3 May 1960 for a tour in the western Pacific with the Seventh Fleet which lasted until 3 November when she returned to her home port . Thereafter , except for four deployments in the Far East , her west coast operations were interrupted only by yard overhauls . " Spinax " was deployed from 27 June to 17 December 1962 ; from 18 August 1965 to 15 March 1966 ; from 6 January to 25 June 1967 ; and from February to 13 August 1969 when she last returned to Mare Island . In September 1969 , " Spinax " was declared unfit for further service . She was decommissioned and struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 11 October 1969 . Her hulk was sold to Zidell Explorations , Incorporated , on 13 June 1972 and scrapped .