The submarine Lancetfish SS-296 may have had the shortest career of any U.S. submarine in history. She was built at William Cramp in Philadelphia and launched Aug. 15, 1943. In May of 1944 she was towed to the Boston Naval Shipyard for completion. As the first submarine completed at the Boston yard she was commissioned on Feb. 12, 1945 with Commander Ellis B. Orr in command.

On March 15, 1945 while tied up to Pier 8 at the yard an open stern torpedo tube flooded and sank the boat, fortunately there were no casualties, except the Lancetfish. She was raised on Mar. 23rd and decommissioned Mar. 24th. She was placed in reserve, but never repaired and finally was sold for scrap in 1958.

Cdr. Orr having served in the submarine service for six years went on to command USS Sea Cat SS-399 and USS Remora SS-487, but this was after the war was over, he never had the opportunity to command a submarine in combat, he passed away in 2009.