Naval Submarine Base New London Groton Connecticut Patch

Established in 1916 along the Thames River in Groton, Connecticut, Naval Submarine Base New London occupies a singular place in American military history. Known throughout the fleet as the “Home of the Submarine Force,” this installation has shaped nearly every generation of U.S. submariners for more than a century. Its significance is not tied to a single war or class of vessel, but to continuity—training, doctrine, and identity forged beneath the surface.

During World War I, the base emerged as a center for experimentation and instruction as submarines transitioned from novelty to necessity. That role expanded dramatically during World War II, when the submarine force proved decisive in disrupting enemy logistics across the Pacific. Thousands of sailors passed through Groton, learning the fundamentals of undersea warfare before deploying to distant patrol areas where isolation, endurance, and technical mastery defined survival.

The Cold War elevated New London’s importance even further. As submarines became central to strategic deterrence, the base evolved into a hub for nuclear-era training and readiness. Crews prepared here for missions that would never be publicly acknowledged—extended deterrent patrols conducted in silence, where success meant remaining unseen. The culture that developed emphasized discipline, systems knowledge, and absolute trust among shipmates, values that became synonymous with the submarine force itself.

Groton is inseparable from the story of USS Nautilus, the world’s first nuclear-powered submarine. Launched nearby and preserved today as a museum, Nautilus symbolizes the technological and doctrinal leap that reshaped naval warfare. Her presence at the base serves as a reminder that innovation and tradition coexist here—new generations trained in facilities steeped in history.

Beyond technology, Naval Submarine Base New London is defined by transition. It is where sailors earn their dolphins, where instructors pass down lessons learned from decades at sea, and where crews cycle through training before disappearing beneath the ocean for months at a time. For many, it represents the beginning of a submarine career; for others, a return point between patrols that blur together in memory.

The identity of the base is quiet by design. There are no flight decks or parades of hardware. Its influence is measured in readiness rather than spectacle, in deterrence maintained rather than battles fought. Submariners trained here carry forward a legacy shaped by patience, precision, and responsibility at the highest level.

Today, Naval Submarine Base New London remains the institutional heart of the U.S. submarine community, preserving traditions while preparing crews for missions that demand total professionalism beneath the sea.