Submarine Day
Special Interest
Damn the Torpedoes, Full Speed Ahead! - Admiral David G. Farragut

When: March 17th

Where: United States

Traditional Celebration Ideas

Watch a navy movie about submarines such as the class "Hunt for Red October". Read a book about the history, construction and purpose of the modern day submarine.


The U.S Navy estimates that the cost to build a new nuclear powered submarine is over $128 Billion dollars.


For as long as anyone can remember, people have had a strong desire to find a suitable solution for underwater travel and mostly to gain a strategic military advantage. Over the years this has led to the invention and constant improvement of the submarine. This dream is similar to the quest of flying a craft in the sky with which what eventually became the airplane.  As early as 1578,  underwater boats have been constructed to try and withstand the pressure and air constraints of operating while submerged under water.  Although many have tried, it wasn't until dutchman Cornelius Van Drebbel, had success building the first functional submarine in 1620. Submarines continued to evolve over the years and have arguably become one of, if not the nations most powerful weapon.  With the ability to travel distances silently and virtually invisible or undetected by the enemy, a submarine can carry out missions such as the deployment naval special forces, attack other ships during warfare with torpedoes, or the ability to carry out dooms day scenarios with the launching of nuclear missiles.

Interesting Facts

  1. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, The longest submerged patrol know publicly is 111 days and traveling 30,804 nautical miles by HM Submarine Warspite in the South Atlantic from 25 November 1982 to 15 March 1983.
  2. Submarines have been used in warfare since the civil war.
  3. The worlds first nuclear powered submarine was the USS Nautilus.
  4. Diving thousands of feet underwater is no problem for submarines.
  5. The worlds deadliest submarines are of the Seawolf class boats and are considered the most technologically advanced hunter-killer submarines in the world.


  • March 17th
Next Dates: