USS Blueback (SS-326) was a Balao-class submarine of the United States Navy. It served during World War II and the Cold War. Commissioned in 1944, the submarine conducted several successful patrols in the Pacific Theater during WWII. After the war, Blueback underwent modernization and served as a training vessel. It was reclassified as an auxiliary submarine in 1968. Blueback was eventually decommissioned in 1973 after over 28 years of service. Notably, it was the last non-nuclear submarine in the U.S. Navy's Pacific Fleet. In 1979, the USS Blueback was transferred to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry in Portland, Oregon, where it became a museum ship. The submarine is open to the public, offering visitors the opportunity to explore its interior and learn about its history. The USS Blueback was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008. Its preservation as a museum ship allows people to experience firsthand the vital role submarines played in naval warfare and the Cold War era.

This description has been generated using GPT-3.5-TURBO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.