The USS Bowfin, SS-287, is a Balao-class submarine and was a vessel of the United States Navy built during World War II. The Bowfin was completed at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Maine of July 1942. It was commissioned and launched on the first anniversary of the Pearl Harbor bombings on December 7th, 1942. The USS Bowfin completed nine war patrols in only two years of wartime duty. It is one of the most famous U.S. submarines of WWII and is credited with sinking 16 Japanese boats. The Bowfin was nicknamed the “Avenger” in remembrance of the Pearl Harbor attacks.

A famous patrol occurred in November of 1943 where the USS Bowfin sank 12 enemy vessels, only 5 of which were officially credited. The submarine was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for this war patrol. The Bowfin fought from the beginning to the very end of the war and she was finally decommissioned in 1971. In 1981, the Bowfin was moved to Pearl Harbor and berthed at the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park located next to the Arizona Memorial Visitor Center. This attraction at Pearl Harbor features a museum and outdoor gallery with exhibits that tell of other missions undertaken by the crew of this submarine. You can take a tour of the inside of the submarine and see what it was like to be part of the crew.

Hawaii Pearl Harbor Tours include admission into the USS Bowfin on their Heroes Tour. This all day tour includes transportation to and from Pearl Harbor, admission to the Arizona Memorial, a tour of the USS Missouri, access to the Pacific Aviation Museum, and a ride through the historic district of Honolulu and Punchbowl Cemetery.

Due to the high volume of visitors traveling to Hawaii year round, our Hawaii tours and Hawaii activities sell out quickly. In many cases, tours sell out weeks or months in advance. To ensure your spots on tour, we recommend reserving your tours today. Call our office or book online to take advantage of our low price guarantee today.