- The first American submarine was the Turtle designed and built by Connecticut inventor David Bushnell during the American Revolution. The Turtle was a one-man hand-powered wooden submarine. It resembled the shape of an almond, or two turtle shells placed together.
- The Turtle was the first submarine in history used in combat.
- Just after midnight, September 7, 1776, the Turtle unsuccessfully attacked the HMS Eagle in New York Harbor.
- George Washington was so impressed with the Turtle's performance; he called Bushnell a "man of great mechanical powers, fertile in invention and a master of execution."
Sources:
- Military Journal of Dr. James Thacher
- The Voyage of the "Turtle"
- Connecticut River Museum
Links:
- The First Submarine Used in War
- Military Journal of Dr. James Thacher
- The Submarine Turtle: Naval Documents of the Revolutionary War
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