The Ghost Of 1945: When Was The Last Time A US Submarine Sunk A Warship

Last Updated:March 05, 2026, 20:05 IST

This engagement represents the first time since World War II that an American submarine has successfully neutralised an enemy vessel using torpedoes

In a significant escalation to the ongoing West Asia war, a United States Navy submarine intercepted and sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean on Tuesday, March 3. The engagement resulted in at least 100 casualties and marks a pivotal moment in modern naval warfare.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the strike, saying that the ship was sunk by a torpedo and died a “quiet death". This engagement represents the first time since World War II that an American submarine has successfully neutralised an enemy vessel using torpedoes.

A Return to Torpedo Warfare

Prior to Tuesday incident, the US Navy had not recorded a submarine-launched torpedo kill in nearly 80 years. The last instances of such combat occurred during the final hours of World War II in August 1945. According to historical records and reports from The War Zone, the closing day of the war saw two notable engagements, USS Spikefish (SS-404) and the USS Torsk (SS-423).

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