7. The Submarine Growler, A Missile Sub, Is Displayed Next to the USS Intrepid

The USS Growler (SSG-577), located next to the Intrepid, is the only American diesel-powered strategic missile submarine open to the public, according to the museum. People can go down and see the crew’s mess, control room, attack center and torpedo room. But what people probably do not know is how important the Growler was to the United States’ nuclear defense plan in the 1960s. The Growler became a part of the Regulus Program, which had diesel boats with nuclear weapons going on deterrent patrols near Soviet waters.