USS 0DAX Ship of the Month

USS ODAX (SS-484) was commissioned on 11 July 1945 at the Portsmouth Novel Shipyard, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and was assigned to Submarine Squadron FOUR in Key West, Florida for peacetime operations and training.

In September 1946, as part of the Bureau of Ships post-war investigation of the high speed submarine, ODAX was selected for conversion to a "GUPPY" (Greater Underwater Propulsion Power) and returned to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for an extensive overhaul. ODAX, first of the "GUPPY" submarines, then returned to SUBRONFOUR for an intensive program in the field of research and development. At this timer ODAX was the swiftest of the U. S. submarines.

In August of 1951, ODAX again underwent conversion, this time to GUPPY II, the major aspect of which was the addition of a Snorkel, The Snorkel was immediately put to use in the large scale convoy exercise, CONVEX III in the Spring of 1952, from 1952 through 1955, the ship provided services to the Operational Development Force and Fleet Sonar School in Key West and to the Fleet Training Group in Guantanamo Bay.

After a Barrier Petrol in 1960, highlighted by visits to Faslane and Glasgow, Scotland, the ship departed in August for South America. There ODAX participated in Operation "UINITAS", an exercise conducted in conjunction with naval unnits of various South America countries.

ODAX has participated in many other exercises far too numerous to mention.

Although ODAX is almost twenty-two years old, she is still a front line fighting ship as witnessed by her fine record and the effectiveness of her Officers arid crew. Through the years ODAX has established an enviable reputation of which all hands are proud. (Next month's Feature Ship will be USS THOUT (SS-566).

Commanding Officer

LCDB Joseph C. Smith, USN, became Commanding Officer of ODAX 21 November 1966. LCDR Smith came to ODAX after completing a twenty-four month tour of duty in the Operations Section of the staff, Commander Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Executive Officer

LCOR Milo W. Fuller, USN became ODAX Executive Officer 27 December 1965. LCDR Fuller came to ODAX from a thirty-one month tour as Gold Crew Navigator, USS JOHN ADAMS (SSBN-620).