USS Pipefish (SS-388/AGSS-388), a Balao-class submarine, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for the pipefish, a long, narrow, bony-scaled fish with straight, tubular snout found in Panama that has extraordinary powers of concealment in vegetation. Pipefish was laid down on 31 May 1943 by the Portsmouth Navy Yard. She was launched on 12 October 1943 sponsored by Mrs. George J. Bates, and commissioned on 22 January 1944, Lieutenant Commander William N. Deragon in command.