The USS Sealion was decommissioned on 2 February 1946 after an eventful World War II career. However, this was not the end of the ship's service. She came back.
A year and a half later, the Sealion, along with the USS Perch (SS-313) were designated to conversion as a troop carrier and in April 1948, she entered the San Francisco Naval Shipyard for the eight-month conversion. Her torpedo tubes and forward engine room were removed in order to provide berth for 123 troops.
The wardroom was redesigned as an operating room and the beam of the ship aft of the conning tower was extended and a large, watertight cylindrical chamber was installed abaft the conning tower to store amphibious landing equipment.
On 2 November 1948, the Sealion was recommissioned as a Submarine Transport with the hull classification SSP-315. Training exercises were then conducted off both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts that went to 1950.
In 1960, she was decommissioned until 1961 and then back in service and took part in the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. On 20 February 1970 she was decommissioned for the final time and stricken from the Naval Register 15 March 1977 and sunk as a target off Newport, Rhode Island, on 8 July 1978.
--GreGen
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