March 18, 1960, was just another day in the long service history of USS Spikefish (SS-404), or so it seemed. The sea, indifferent to records and human milestones, stretched endlessly around her. But for the men aboard, and for the United States Navy, that dive was anything but ordinary. On that day, Spikefish became the first American submarine to achieve 10,000 successful dives—a milestone that underscored not only her longevity but the very evolution of submarine warfare and technology in the postwar era. She had already earned her place in history with three battle stars during World War II, but this feat set her apart in the annals of undersea service.