ThefirstsubmarineemployedformilitarypurposeswastheTurtle,aone-manvesseldesignedandbuiltbyaYalegraduatein1776.RevolutionaryAmericanshopedthat,withthissecretweapon,theycoulddestroytheBritishwarshipsanchoredinNewYorkHarbor.Onthenightof7September1776,theTurtletriedtoattachakegofpowdertotheBritishshipEagle.Theattemptfailedandthepowderexplodedharmlessly.
ThefirstsubmarinetoeversinkanenemyshipwastheHuntley.Onthenightof17February1864,theConfederatevesselrammedtheHousatonic,thelargestshipintheUnionNavy,withanexplosivetorpedo.TheHousatonicburstintoflamesandsank.TheHuntleysurfaced,signalledhersuccess,andwasneverheardfromagain.Scientiststodaybelievethatallthemenonboarddiedwhentheyranoutofoxygen.
海龜號是史上第一艘軍用潛艇，只可載一人，一七七六年由一名耶魯大學畢業生設計及建造。為獨立而戰的美國人希望，這秘密武器可以摧毀停泊紐約港內的英國戰艦。一七七六年九月七日晚，海龜號想把一桶炸藥附在英國的蒼鷹號上，但不成功，炸藥空自爆炸。
亨特利號是史上第一艘炸沉敵艦的潛艇。一八六四年二月十七日，美國南軍這艘潛艇用魚雷擊中北軍最大的戰艦胡薩托尼克號。戰艦着火沉沒。亨特利號浮上水面，發出成功信號，但從此再無音信。今天，科學家認為艇上氧氣耗盡，船員全部死亡。