Commissioned on 23 January 1943, the USS Lapon was a Gato class submarine that served during WW2 in the Pacific theater.

Between June 1943 and July 1945, the USS Lapon completed eight war patrols. During these patrols she sunk a total of 53,443 tons of Japanese shipping and damaged many other vessels.

She was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation and earned four Battle Stars before being decommissioned and subsequently transferred to the Greek Navy.

Commissioned on 14 December 1967, the USS Lapon was a Sturgeon class fast attack boat. Although she was the thirteenth ship in her class, she was commissioned 4th in her class. She made tours in the Arctic, North Atlantic, Mediterranean, and cruised to the Indian Ocean.

During the cold war she proved her worthiness by tracking Soviet submarines including a much heralded account of tracking a Yankee class ballistic missile sub. When not chasing Soviet submarines, she supported underwater acoustical science during many ops including an Arctic Ice Ex run.

During her 25 year service she was awarded with 18 awards including a Presidential Unit Citation and several Meritorious Unit and Navy Battle "E". She was decommissioned on 8 August 1992 and, with the exception of her sail, scrapped.

At decommissioning the American Legion in Springfield Mo along with the Ozark-Runner Base Organization made a bid for the opportunity to save the sail for prosperity. The sail lives on for visitors and members.

Through donations and volunteer hours we are able to keep this sail presentable for years to come.