San Francisco is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. But there’s one unique perspective you probably haven’t seen its vistas from — the periscope of a 1950s World War II-era submarine.
In 1951, the USS Catfish (best sub name ever), a Balao class diesel-electric submarine, took a detour through San Francisco Bay on its way north from San Diego. Apparently the crew had enough time to see the sites and fire off some photos of Coit Tower, the Golden Gate Bridge, and good ol’ Alcatraz, which was still in operation as a federal prison.
SFGate discovered the images, belonging to the US Navy, and posted a full gallery on their blog, The Big Event.
Sadly, the USS Catfish met an unceremonious end. The vessel was sold to Argentina in 1971, after which the British captured it in the Falklands War and sunk it because it was too costly to repair. Bummer. [SFGate]
Pictures: US Navy