CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – An 83-year-old World War II submarine docked on the shores of Lake Erie will mark America’s 250th birthday with a deck gun firing.
The USS Cod is one of the most authentic warships preserved in the country. Paul Farace, president of the USS Cod Submarine Memorial, said the vessel is a tangible piece of American history.
Commissioned in 1943, the Cod completed seven war patrols. It sank more than 12 enemy vessels totaling over 37,000 tons. It also performed history’s only international submarine-to-submarine rescue, saving the crew of a Dutch submarine during its final patrol.
Cleveland connection
The Cod came to Cleveland in 1959. Its diesel engines were built on the city’s west side by General Motors. Much of its steel came from Pittsburgh and Youngstown.
Farace said the Cod was built by a workforce that was about a quarter women.
“The better welders, it turned out,” Farace said.
Forty-eight submarines were lost to enemy action during the war, Farace said.
“It’s a reminder that your freedom came at a cost,” Farace said.
Farace has been giving tours at the memorial for 50 years. He was eight years old the first time he walked through the hatch.
On July 4, the memorial will fire the deck gun to celebrate the nation’s birthday, Farace said.
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