USS Runner (SS-476)

The USS Runner (SS-476) was a Tench-class submarine of the United States Navy. She was the second ship of the U.S. Navy to be named for the runner, a fish of the amberjack family. Her keel was laid down on 27 November 1944 by the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. She was launched on 16 March 1945, sponsored by Mrs. Frances E. Crossley, and commissioned on 30 June 1945, with Commander James B. Grady in command.

Runner conducted shakedown cruises and initial training operations in the western Atlantic after commissioning. With the end of World War II in August 1945, her deployment shifted to training and peacetime duties. She participated in various fleet exercises and operations in the Atlantic and Caribbean throughout the late 1940s.

In the early 1950s, Runner underwent modernization programs, including upgrades to her sonar and electronic equipment, enhancing her anti-submarine warfare capabilities. She continued to serve in the Atlantic Fleet, participating in training exercises and deployments to European waters as part of NATO operations.

In the late 1960s, Runner operated primarily along the East Coast, participating in local and fleet exercises. She provided services to the Naval Underwater Sound Laboratory in support of sonar research and development.

Runner was decommissioned on 15 December 1969 and struck from the Naval Vessel Register on the same day. She was subsequently sold for scrap. While Runner did not see combat service during World War II, she served actively during the Cold War period, contributing to the U.S. Navy's submarine force readiness and participating in important training and development activities.