USS Albacore

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A black, white, and dark blue striped header image with the text U.S.S. Albacore

Continuing my trip through Portsmouth, NH in September 2023, I visited the USS Albacore, a submarine used by the U.S. Navy from 1953 to 1972. Officially called USS Albacore (AGSS 569), the vessel was built in nearby Portsmouth Naval Yard and was used to conduct underwater experiments. Now open as a museum, the boat was named a Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark in 1953 and a National Historic Landmark in 1989, along with belonging to the Historic Naval Ships Association. Tours are self-guided, and visitors press buttons on speakers to hear museum employees and former crew members tell the story of the boat.

Side View of USS Albacore; part of a black metal submarine behind a chain linked fence Front View of the USS Albacore; a black metal submarine behind a chain linked fence Sign for USS Albacore; a blue and white sign with text and an illustration of the submarine
Diagram of Exits and Fire Extinguishers on USS Albacore Back View of USS Albacore; black metal submarine with a pair of large rudders Another Back View of USS Albacore; view the black metal submarine and rudders from the right side
Sail of the USS Albacore; the roof and piece of metal jutting out from the top with the number 569 Door into USS Albacore; a narrow metal hatch with two metal layers Speakers for Audio Tour; a gray metal box with a built in speaker and a red button to start the audio. The sign on the speaker reads External Hull Features, Related by Albacore Crew Members
Plaque for Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark USS Albacore 1953 Plaque for National Historic Landmark USS Albacore 1989 Seal for Historic Naval Ships Association

The Albacore was built differently than its predecessors from World War II. Naval Admiral Charles Momsen led a team in creating a vessel that could travel for faster, longer, and with better maneuverability than past submarines. The Albacore set records for fastest submerged vehicle in 1965 and 1966. A pair of giant propellers drove the streamline submarine, while four ballast tanks filled with water to submerge the boat. The boat weighted about 1600 tons empty but 1820 tons when submerged. Living on the submarine was not easy. Although the boat was about 205 feet long, quarters were tight, and the crew contained fifty men. Bunks were stacked three high and the men barely fit. Some crew members had to “hot bunk”, meaning that three people shared two bunks, with at least one crew member awake at all times. In the tiny bathrooms, the toilets had lengthy instructions on how to safely flush.

A Pair of Bunks in USS Albacore Security Area for USS Albacore; a door with a small square window. Inside is a tiny built-in desk with a typewriter Toilet on the USS Albacore Instructions for Toilet on the USS Albacore
Panel to Change Sonar Channels on USS Albacore; six sonar channels with a dial and headphone jack Phone to Call Different Sections on USS Albacore Office on USS Albacore; a control room with dials on the wall and a small typewriter Pressure Dials for Ballast Tanks on USS Albacore

To alleviate the harsh living conditions, submarine crews received some of the best food in the military. Cooks served meals from tiny kitchens, and the dining tables were decorated with checkerboards so crew members could play games during this brief downtime. Behind the living quarters, the control rooms allowed crew members to steer the boat. Vast walls of switchboards and gauges told highly trained sailors what was happening onboard. Compared to modern submarines, the controls were primitive. The periscope of the Albacore, now available to use in the visitor center, had no electronics to aid the viewer.

Subterranean Map Built Into a Table on USS Albacore Big Old Panel of Dials on USS Albacore Hatch Door in USS Albacore A Wall of Gauges and Dials on USS Albacore
Pair of Seats and Steering Wheels on USS Albacore Tiny Galley Kitchen in USS Albacore Mess Hall with Checkerboards on Tables inside USS Albacore
Round Window on Door Leading to Crew Quarters and Mess on USS Albacore Whole Bunch of Pipes and Gauges on USS Albacore Pipes, Gauges, and Electrical Sockets on USS Albacore

Besides the periscope, the visitor center boasted an array of artifacts from the submarine, including maps, plaques, and protective gear. A brief video hyped the history of the ship, while exhibit signage told the history of underwater vessels in the U.S. Navy. A hallway featured plaques from other submarines across the United States. As for the architecture of the building, the main entrance of the visitor center is an octagon, incidentally the same shape as the dining room at Governor John Langdon House across town.

View of USS Albacore and Sarah Mildred Long Bridge Through the Visitor Center Periscope Visitor Center Periscope Hard Hat for Lt G.D. Sylvester on USS Albacore; the hat has an insignia of an eagle and an American flag shield
Outside the Visitor Center with its Octagonal main section and long hall Looking Up at the Cupola Inside the Octagonal Main Section of the visitor center Diagram of USS Albacore showing where phones are located

Behind the visitor center was the Memorial Garden honoring naval crews on past boats bearing the name Albacore. The USS Albacore SS-218 sank during World War II on November 7, 1944, drowning 86 crew members. Another submarine, USS Thresher (SSN-593) sank off the coast of Cape Cod on April 10, 1963 during a deep-diving test, drowning 129 crew members. Yet another plaque honors military members “still on patrol”, as their boats sank during World War II. While a cheery dolphin statue lightens the mood, the Memorial Garden has a much more sobering atmosphere than inside the submarine.

Sign for Memorial Garden at USS Albacore; a pair of metal fish are embedded above the text of the wooden sign Dolphin Statue in Memorial Garden at USS Albacore Memorial to Albacore Crew Members and Albacore Park Volunteers
Memorial to USS Albacore SS-218; a stone marker with a metal plaque listing drowned crew members Memorial to USS Thresher (SSN-593); a metal plaque on a stone marker listing drowned crew members Memorial to Military Members still on patrol from World War II

Not far from the submarine, visitors can view a Juliet Marine Systems GHOST from behind a chain linked fence. Currently under development by the US Navy, the uniquely shaped vehicle will be used for countering motorboats and other fast moving, smaller vessels, as it can turn quickly despite being 62 feet long (89 m). Visible from the grounds is the award-winning Sarah Mildred Long Bridge, which I crossed last year after my visit to York, ME. A sign at the edge of the lawn is in memory of three casualties at the bridge: railroad workers Charles Dearborn Towle and John Knox Beattie who died in a train accident in 1939, and transit employee Todd William Dawson who was crushed by a counterweight on the bridge in 1989.

Sarah Mildred Long Bridge Seen from Across the Albacore Park Lawn Sign for Sarah Mildred Long Bridge; memorializing the three men who died on the bridge Juliet Marine Systems GHOST; an oddly shaped modern military water vessel

Visiting the USS Albacore brings mixed emotions, as exploring the successful research vessel and listening to the well-scripted tour is mostly lighthearted and educational fun, but the grounds are filled with reminders of death. While an overall delightful experience, some visitors might be unsettled by the memorials. Tickets for the U.S.S. Albacore are $11 for adults, $8 for seniors and veterans, $5 for children, and $0 for active duty military and New England Museum Association (NEMA) members (like me!). Like any military submarine, U.S.S. Albacore is not accessible to those using wheelchairs or with limited mobility. A self-guided online tour allows remote visitors to see images of the ship.


Abby Epplett’s Rating System

Experience: 9/10

Accessibility: 5/10



Location: 569 Submarine Way, Portsmouth, NH 03801, USA