| Year | Date | Historical Events |
| 1937 | Oct 27 | Keel laid down by the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, CA. |
| 1939 | Apr 1 | Launched. |
| | Jul 22 | Commissioned with LT. Chester C. Smith in command. Following shakedown and post shakedown repairs at Mare Island, Swordfish operated out of San Diego, CA., until early 1941, when she set sail for Pearl Harbor, HI. |
| 1941 | Nov 3 | Swordfish, in company with 3 other United States submarines, departed Pearl Harbor, HI. |
| | Nov 22 | Swordfish arrived at Manila, Philippine Islands. The submarine remained at Manila until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December. |
| | Dec 8 | Swordfish set sail on her 1st war patrol, conducted off the coast of Hainan, China. |
| | Dec 16 | After damaging enemy vessels on the 9th, 11th, and 14th, Swordfish sank her initial victim on 16 December. Hit amidships by 1 of 3 torpedoes, the cargo ship Atsutasan Maru erupted in a cloud of smoke and flames and disappeared beneath the waves. |
| | Dec 27 | Swordfish embarked the organizational staff of the Submarines Asiatic Command Staff at Manila and headed for Soerabaja, Java. |
| 1942 | Jan 7 | Swordsfish arrived at Soerabaja, Java. |
| | Jan 16 | Swordfish departed Soerabaja for her 2nd war patrol, conducted in the Celebes Sea and in the Philippines. |
| | Jan 24 | Swordfish torpedoed and sank the cargo ship Myoken Maru off Kema, Celebes Islands. |
| | Feb 20 | Swordfish submerged in the entrance to Mariveles, Luzon, only to surface after dark to take on board the President of the Philippines and his family. |
| | Feb 22 | Swordfish arrived at San Jose, Panay, Philippine Islands, where the President and his party were transferred to a motor tender. Swordfish then returned to Manila Bay and embarked the High Commissioner of the Philippines. |
| | Mar 9 | Swordfish arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia. |
| | Apr 1 | Swordfish sailed for her 3rd war patrol, to deliver 40 tons of provisions to the island of Corregidor. Corregidor fell to the Japanese before the mission could be carried out, and she was ordered to patrol in the vicinity of Ambon Island. |
| | May 1 | Swordfish returned to Fremantle, Australia. |
| | May 15 | Swordfish departed Fremantle, Australia for her 4th war patrol in the South China Sea. |
| | May 29 | Swordfish sank a 1,900-ton cargo ship. |
| | Jun 12 | Swordfish torpedoed and sank the cargo ship Burna Maru in the Gulf of Siam. |
| | Jul 4 | Swordfish returned to Fremantle, Australia. |
| | Jul 21 | Swordfish's 5th war patrol, conducted in the Sulu Sea, and her 6th war patrol, conducted in the Solomon Islands, were unproductive. (Exact dates unknown) |
| 1943 | Jan 19 | During her 7th war patrol, Swordfish sank the 4,122 ton cargo ship Myoho Maru. |
| | Feb 23 | Swordfish returned to Pearl Harbor, HI. and underwent an overhaul. |
| | Jul 29 | Swordfish got underway for her 8th war patrol. |
| | Aug 22 | Swordfish sighted her 1st target of the patrol, and quickly sent the cargo ship Nishigama Maru to the bottom, the victim of 2 torpedo hits. |
| | Sep 5 | A convoy was intercepted, and Swordfish damaged a large tanker before sinking the cargo ship Tenkai Maru. |
| | Sep 20 | Swordfish returned to Brisbane, Australia. |
| | Oct 7 | Swordfish's 9th war patrol lasted only 3 weeks. Shortly after reaching her assigned patrol area, material defects were discovered, and the submarine had to return to port. (Exact dates unknown)
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| | Dec 26 | Swordfish departed for her 10th war patrol, conducted in Tokyo Bay. |
| 1944 | Jan 16 | Swordfish sank the converted gunboat Delhi Maru. |
| | Jan 19 | Swordfish sank the passenger cargo ship Yamakuni Maru. |
| | Jan 27 | Swordfish fired 2 torpedoes at the converted salvage vessel Kasagi Maru, which broke in half and sank. |
| | Feb 7 | Swordfish terminated her 10th patrol at Pearl Harbor, HI. |
| | Mar 13 | Swordfish put to sea for her 11th war patrol, conducted in the Marianas Islands. Although several enemy ships were damaged during this patrol, no sinkings could be confirmed. |
| | Apr 29 | Swordfish returned to Majure. |
| | May 15 | Swordfish departed on her 12th war patrol which was conducted in the area of the Bonin Islands. (Exact date unknown) |
| | Jun 9 | Swordfish found the Japanese destroyer Matsukaze clearly silhouetted against the horizon and sank the enemy ship with 2 torpedoes from her bow tubes. |
| | Jun 15 | Swordfish torpedoed and sank the cargo ship Kanseishi Maru. |
| | Jun 30 | Swordfish terminated her 12h patrol at Pearl Harbor, HI. |
| | Dec 22 | Swordfish departed Pearl Harbor, HI. to conduct her 13th war patrol, in the vicinity of Nansei Shoto. |
| 1945 | Jan 2 | Swordfish was ordered to patrol clear of the Nansei Shoto area until completion of scheduled air strikes. She acknowledged receipt of these orders on 3 January. No further communication was received from Swordfish. |
| | Feb 15 | After repeated attempts to contact Swordfish by radio had failed, she was reported as presumed lost, the victim of unknown causes. 89 men lost. |