After shakedown off Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and New London, Connecticut, Sea Robin transited the Panama Canal on 12 October 1944 following an incident with a Scandinavian merchant ship which, mistaking the submarine for a German U-boat, frantically scattered shells in the general direction of the surfaced "enemy."

Except for dodging floating mines, the remainder of the submarine's first patrol was uneventful; and she returned to port at Fremantle, Western Australia, on 29 January 1945.

After several unsuccessful attempts to rescue survivors, the submarine finally hauled three prisoners of war on board and continued her patrol.

After watching the target completely reverse course, the submarine fired three more torpedoes at a range of 900 yards (820 m) with one hit amidships that broke netlayer Nagaru Maru (856 tons) in half and sent her rapidly to the bottom.

For 24 hours, she was pursued by the escorts and accompanying aircraft; but made good her escape and arrived at Subic Bay, Philippines, on 15 March to replenish her depleted torpedo store.

She was in the East China Sea at 31°30′N 138°37′E / 31.500°N 138.617°E / 31.500; 138.617, about 105 nautical miles (194 km; 121 mi) southwest of Aogashima in the Nanpō Islands, on lifeguard duty in support of air raids on Japan by United States Army Air Forces B-29 Superfortress bombers on 26 June 1945 when a full load of bombs a B-29 had jettisoned through overcast landed in the sea only 1,000 yards (910 m) from her.

After a one-day stop at Pearl Harbor, the boat headed for home, transiting the Panama Canal on 20 September and arriving at Galveston, Texas, four days later.

After engaging in special operations in late 1956 and early 1957, Sea Robin resumed normal duties in the New London area until entering the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on 24 July 1957 for a two-month overhaul.

For the next five years, with time out for regularly scheduled overhaul periods, Sea Robin operated in Atlantic and Caribbean waters, engaging in fleet antisubmarine warfare exercises and providing services to the United States Naval Submarine School.

In September 1964, Sea Robin in the company of Piper participated in exercise "Master Stroke" with United States, Canadian, and British forces.

Sea Robin returned to New London for local operations and entered Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in November for a scheduled overhaul, remaining there until April 1965.

The year 1966 was spent in participation with operation "Springboard" forces in the Caribbean providing services to naval air squadrons and surface units followed by training and antisubmarine warfare (ASW) exercises in the New London area.

From 2 October through 1 February 1968, Sea Robin underwent overhaul at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and upon completion resumed normal duties in the Atlantic and Caribbean.