Yes, American subs didn't need snorkels in WWII. To fit them would have crippled their effectiveness by encouraging captains to "play it safe" while in reality the snorkel would have cut their number of targets by three quarters while not increasing safety in the slightest.
Unlike German subs, the American subs never transitioned from Hunter to Hunted. Hunting is conducted on the surface with radar.
Could you be talking about the air search radar, which could be raised for use at periscope depth?