Guam through the periscope tests American security

Triton made a precise submerged landfall at Guam and used two photographic teams to record activity ashore. Aircraft movements, vehicles, housing, and harbor facilities remained visible through the periscopes. Localized rain squalls sometimes reduced visibility to a few hundred yards, so photographs had to be timed between downpours. A signal station examined closely during the approach was deserted, and the crew repeatedly checked for any indication that its periscope had been spotted. The undetected reconnaissance supports an uncomfortable interpretation of the visit: it tested the security of American facilities as well as demonstrating what nuclear submarines could do near an opponent's coast.