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On the bow of a Gato/Balao/Tench submarine there is an elongated hole which is called the 'bullnose'. This is more properly called the 'towing fairlead'. If the boat is to be towed the towing line is passed from the towing vessel through the this hole and led aft to the forward torpedo room hatch. There it is fastened with a shackle to the padeye welded to the flat surface forward of the hatch. If the submarine is to be the towing vessel the tow line is fastened around the after capstan and lead aft through the 'towing chock' which doubles on most boats as the stanchion for the after anchor light and the ensign staff. To learn more than you will ever need about towing the U.S. Navy Towing Manual SL740-AA-MAN-010 is available as a .pdf file online. Modern US Navy nuclear submarines also have a towing fairlead but forward only so the boat can be towed. There is not one aft because running a tow cable over the ship's screw is not advisable. So the modern nuclear submarine can be towed, but not be the towing vessel.
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