USS Blueback, Military submarine museum at OMSI, Portland, US
USS Blueback is a former attack submarine now serving as a museum ship docked at OMSI in Portland. The 219-foot vessel displays original living quarters, control rooms, and technical equipment that remained in use throughout its active service years.
Built and commissioned in 1959, this submarine was the last diesel-powered vessel in the United States Navy fleet before decommissioning in 1990. Following retirement, it was transformed into a publicly accessible museum ship.
The submarine appeared in the film The Hunt for Red October and in an episode of Hawaii Five-O. These appearances have made the vessel recognizable to many visitors who grew up watching these productions.
The museum operates on weekdays and weekends with guided tours accommodating small groups. Note that narrow passageways and tight spaces throughout the vessel require careful movement and may not be suitable for those with limited mobility.
The vessel completed a remarkable submerged voyage of approximately 5,340 miles from Yokosuka, Japan to San Diego using only diesel-electric power. This journey demonstrated the capability of non-nuclear submarine technology during an era when most navies were shifting to nuclear propulsion.
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