USS Darter (SS-576)

The USS Darter (SS-576) was a Tang-class submarine of the United States Navy. She was the second ship of the Navy to be named for the darter, a small, slender fish.

Darter was laid down on 20 February 1956 by the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut, launched on 28 May 1956, and commissioned on 24 December 1957.

Darter operated primarily in the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Her service included participation in various fleet exercises and operations, as well as deployments to the Mediterranean Sea. She conducted anti-submarine warfare training and surveillance activities.

The Tang-class submarines were known for their improved underwater speed and maneuverability compared to earlier submarines. They represented a significant advancement in U.S. submarine technology during the Cold War.

Darter was decommissioned on 1 December 1989 and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 8 January 1990. She was subsequently disposed of through the Security Assistance Program, transferred to Taiwan on 1 July 1992, and renamed Hai Hsien (SS-793). She continued to serve in the Republic of China Navy.