USS N-7

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USS N-7 (SS-59).jpg
USS N-7 underway in harbor, c. 1918-22
History
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
NameN-7
Builder Lake Torpedo Boat Company, Bridgeport, Connecticut
Cost$463,896.47 (hull and machinery) [1]
Laid down20 April 1915
Launched19 May 1917
Sponsored byMrs. Anne Miller
Commissioned15 June 1918
Decommissioned7 February 1922
Identification
FateSold for scrap, 5 June 1922
General characteristics [2] [3]
Class & type N-class submarine
Displacement
  • 331 long tons (336 t) surfaced
  • 385 long tons (391 t) submerged
Length155 ft 3 in (47.32 m)
Beam14 feet 6 inches (4.42 m)
Draft12 ft 4 in (3.76 m)
Installed power
  • 600 bhp (450 kW) diesel
  • 300 hp (220 kW) electric
Propulsion
  • 2 × Busch-Sulzer diesel engines
  • 2 × Diehl electric motors
  • 2 × 60-cell batteries
  • 2 × Propellers
Speed
  • 13 kn surfaced
  • 11 kn submerged
Test depth200 ft
Complement
  • 3 officers
  • 26 enlisted
Armament4 × 18-inch bow torpedo tubes, 8 torpedoes

USS N-7 (SS-59), also known as "Submarine No. 59", was an N-class coastal submarine of the United States Navy commissioned during WWI. She spent the war patrolling off the coast of New England, and was decommissioned after less than four years in service.

Contents

Design

The N-class boats designed by Electric Boat, N-1 throughN-3, also referred to as the N-1-class, were built to slightly different specifications from the other N-class submarines, which were designed by Lake Torpedo Boat, referred to as the N-4-class. The Lake submarines had a length of 155 ft (47.2 m) overall, a beam of 14 ft 6 in (4.4 m), and a mean draft of 12 feet 4 inches (3.8 m). They displaced 331 long tons (336 t) on the surface and 385 long tons (391 t) submerged. The Lake submarines had a crew of 3 officers and 26 enlisted men. They had a diving depth of 200 ft (61.0 m). [2]

For surface running, the Lake submarines were powered by two 300- brake-horsepower (224 kW) Busch-Sulzer diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 150-horsepower (112 kW) Diehl electric motor. They could reach 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) on the surface and 11 kn (20 km/h; 13 mph) underwater. [2]

The boats were armed with four 18-inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes in the bow. They carried four reloads, for a total of eight torpedoes. [2] [4]

Construction

N-7's keel was laid down on 20 April 1915, by the Lake Torpedo Boat Company, in Bridgeport, Connecticut. She was launched on 19 May 1917, sponsored by Mrs. Anne Miller, and commissioned on 15 June 1918. [5]

Service history

After fitting out at New London Submarine Base, in Groton, Connecticut, she patrolled the New England coast, to guard against attacks by German U-boats, until 17 September, when she put into New York, for upkeep. [5]

Returning to New London, on 24 October, she remained there until 21 June 1919, when she sailed to the Philadelphia Navy Yard, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for extensive overhaul. She returned to New London, on 31 March 1920, and remained there until placed in reserve on 7 June. [5]

N-7 spent 1921, in reserve, at New London, except for short cruises to Boston, Massachusetts, and Newport, Rhode Island. Later that year, her engines were transferred to a more modern L-class submarine. [5]

Fate

On 26 January 1922, towed by the fleet tug Lykens, she departed for Philadelphia, where she decommissioned on 7 February. Her hulk was sold to Joseph G. Hitner, of Philadelphia, for scrap on 5 June 1922. [5]

References

Bibliography

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