Sea Tiger,  USS - Broken-down pink submarine on the maritime comedy OPERATION PETTICOAT/ABC/1977-79. The Sea Tiger with its crew of officers and crewmen was stationed in the South Pacific during the World War II. It was said to be held together with "a couple of half hitches and a Band-Aid." The submarine's unique pink color was the result of having to set to sea with only a primer coat on its hull after a Japanese air attack destroyed the stockpile of gray paint to be used for the final exterior coat. The color seemed appropriate because soon into the mission, the USS Sea Tiger rescued a group of Army nurses from a Pacific Island who became unwilling guests onboard the roaming submarine filled with 35 really lonely men. The sub crew included Lt. Cdr. Matthew Sherman (John Astin); Lt. Nick Holden (Richard Gilliland); and Major Edna Howard (Yvonne Wilder), the head of the nurses. After four episodes the cast was revised. The TV series was based on the motion picture Operation Petticoat (1959) starring Cary Grant and Tony Curtis. Jamie Lee Curtis, daughter of Tony Curtis was cast as Army nurse Lt. Barbara Duran during the 1977-78 season.        

"Take five really lovely Army nurses. Ship them out on a real navy sub with 35 really lonely men. And a Lt. that's a real operator and you've got a Captain with a real headache...It's the only co-ed sub in the Navy. John Astin speeds through World War II in OPERATION PETTICOAT."

--1977 Promotional Ad

Capt. Sherman:	I think you should assemble the crew and instruct them to ignore completely the fact that our passengers are women.
Lt. Holden:	I'll do that immediately, Sir
Capt. Sherman:	Not soon enough, Mr. Holden