The USS Parche (SS-384/AGSS-384) was a Balao-class submarine constructed by the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine. Her keel was laid on 9 April 1943, and she was launched on 24 July 1943, with Betty Russell serving as her sponsor. Commissioned on 20 November 1943 under Commander Lawson P. Ramage, she served prominently during World War II, earning five battle stars and a Presidential Unit Citation. Parche's wartime service included six patrols in the Pacific Theater. Her first patrol began in March 1944, operating south of Formosa, where she participated in wolfpack tactics, sinking multiple Japanese ships including Taiyoku Maru and Shoryu Maru. Her second patrol saw her sink additional vessels such as Manko Maru and Koei Maru, resulting in her receiving the Presidential Unit Citation and her commander earning the Medal of Honor in what became known as "Ramage's Rampage." The third patrol was notably long but uneventful. During subsequent missions, Parche proved highly effective in Japanese home waters, sinking ships such as Okinoyama Maru and engaging in surface actions that resulted in the destruction of small vessels and tankers. Her last patrol in June 1945 involved lifeguard duties off Honshū, with her crew rescuing downed airmen, and subsequent offensive operations against Japanese shipping. She sank multiple small vessels and luggers, demonstrating her versatility and aggressive tactics. Post-war, Parche was used as a target ship in Operation Crossroads at Bikini Atoll, surviving both atomic blasts with minimal damage. She was decommissioned on 10 December 1946, joining the reserve fleet, and was later reclassified as an Auxiliary Submarine (AGSS-384) in 1962, serving as a Naval Reserve Training vessel until her name was struck from the Naval Register in 1969. She was sold for scrap in 1970, with remnants of her structure preserved at Pearl Harbor, including her conning tower on display at the USS Bowfin Museum. Parche remains a significant vessel for her wartime service and her role in post-war nuclear testing.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.