The first submarine to sink a ship was the [[CSS Hunley|CSS ''Hunley'']] which sank the USS ''Housatonic'' during the [[American Civil War]] on 17 February 1864 in Charleston Harbour. The ''Hunley'' never returned from the mission, sinking with the loss of all crew. | The first submarine to sink a ship was the [[CSS Hunley|CSS ''Hunley'']] which sank the USS ''Housatonic'' during the [[American Civil War]] on 17 February 1864 in Charleston Harbour. The ''Hunley'' never returned from the mission, sinking with the loss of all crew. |