USS S-4

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SS-109.jpg
USS S-4 underway off the Portsmouth Navy Yard, on 26 December 1919
History
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
NameS-4
Builder Portsmouth Navy Yard, on Seavey Island, Kittery, Maine
Cost$677,284.21 (hull and machinery) [1]
Laid down4 December 1917
Launched27 August 1919
Sponsored byMrs. Mary Howard
Commissioned19 November 1919
Decommissioned19 March 1928
Recommissioned16 October 1928
Decommissioned7 April 1933
Stricken15 January 1936
Identification
FateDestroyed by sinking, 15 May 1936
General characteristics [2] [3]
Class & type S-3-class submarine
Displacement
  • 875 long tons (889 t) surfaced
  • 1,088 long tons (1,105 t) submerged
Length231 feet (70 m)
Beam21 ft 10 in (6.65 m)
Draft13 ft 1 in (3.99 m)
Installed power
Propulsion
Speed
  • 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) surfaced
  • 11 kn (20 km/h; 13 mph) submerged
Test depth200 ft (61 m)
Capacity36,950 US gallons (139,900  L; 30,770  imp gal) fuel
Complement
  • 4 officers
  • 34 enlisted
Armament

USS S-4 (SS-109), also known as "Submarine No. 109", was an S-3-class, also referred to as a "Government"-type, submarine of the United States Navy.

Contents

In 1927, S-4 was sunk by the acidental ramming by the United States Coast Guard destroyer Paulding, with the loss of all hands, she was raised and restored to service, until being decommissioned in 1933.

Design

The "Government"-type had a length of 231 feet (70.4 m) overall, a beam of 21 ft 10 in (6.7 m), and a mean draft of 13 ft 1 in (4.0 m). They displaced 875 long tons (889 t) on the surface and 1,088 long tons (1,105 t) submerged. All S-class submarines had a crew of 4 officers and 34 enlisted men, when first commissioned. They had a diving depth of 200 ft (61.0 m). [2]

For surface running, the S-3-class were powered by two 700- brake-horsepower (522 kW) NELSECO diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 600-horsepower (447 kW) Westinghouse Electric Corporation electric motor. They could reach 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) on the surface and 11 kn (20 km/h; 13 mph) underwater. [2]

The boats were armed with four 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes in the bow. They carried eight reloads, for a total of twelve torpedoes. The S-3-class submarines were also armed with a single 4 in (100 mm)/50 caliber deck gun. [2]

Construction

S-4's keel was laid down on 4 December 1917, by the Portsmouth Navy Yard, in Kittery, Maine. She was launched on 27 August 1919, [4] sponsored by Mrs. Mary Howard, [5] and commissioned on 19 November 1919. [4]

Service history

Following acceptance trials, a visit to Havana, Cuba, from 14 to 19 January 1920, and subsequent operations along the Gulf of Mexico and New England coasts. [4]

When the US Navy adopted its hull classification system on 17 July 1920, she received the hull number SS-109. [3]

S-4 departed New London, Connecticut, on 18 November 1921, to rendezvous off New Hampshire, with her assigned unit, Submarine Divisions 12 (SubDiv 12), and SubDiv 18. The two divisions were about to embark on a historic voyage which, at that time, was to be the longest cruise undertaken by American submarines. Assigned to Submarine Flotilla 3, of the Asiatic Fleet, at Cavite, in the Philippine Islands, they sailed via the Panama Canal and Pearl Harbor, and arrived at Cavite, on 1 December 1921. [4]

S-4 operated out of the Cavite Naval Station, with occasional visits to Chinese ports, until late 1924, when the two divisions were reassigned to the West Coast. Departing Cavite, on 29 October, they arrived at Mare Island, California, on 30 December. [4]

Remaining at Mare Island, in 1925, she operated along the West Coast, through 1926, mainly at San Francisco, San Pedro Submarine Base-San Pedro, and San Diego, California. She departed Mare Island, on 10 February 1927, and sailed to the Panama Canal Zone, where she operated through March–April, then proceeded to New London, Connecticut, arriving on 3 May. For the remainder of the year, she operated off the New England coast. [4]

Sinking

Secretary of the Navy Curtis D. Wilbur (2nd from left) during salvage work of S-4, in March 1928. Captain Ernest King and Lieutenant Henry Hartley, in charge of salvage operation (first and second from right) while Rear Admiral Philip Andrews (left) looks on. NH 41834 RADM Philip Andrews, Secretary Curtis D. Wilbur, CAPT Ernest J. King, and LT Henry Hartley during salvage work of USS S-4.jpg
Secretary of the Navy Curtis D. Wilbur (2nd from left) during salvage work of S-4, in March 1928. Captain Ernest King and Lieutenant Henry Hartley, in charge of salvage operation (first and second from right) while Rear Admiral Philip Andrews (left) looks on.

On 17 December 1927, while surfacing from a submerged run over the measured-mile off Provincetown, Massachusetts, she was accidentally rammed and sunk by the United States Coast Guard destroyer Paulding on Rum Patrol. [4] [6] The sinking was reported to be at a depth of 90 to 100 ft (27 to 30 m) located 1,800 yards (1.0 mi; 1.6 km) off the Wood End Coast Guard Station, [7] which was located near Wood End Light. [8]

S-4 under tow to the Boston Navy Yard, after being salvaged in 1928 USS S-4 1928 h63182.jpg
S-4 under tow to the Boston Navy Yard, after being salvaged in 1928

Paulding stopped and lowered lifeboats, but found only a small amount of oil and air bubbles. Rescue and salvage operations were commenced led by Rear Admiral Frank H. Brumby, Captain Ernest J. King, Lieutenant Henry Hartley and Commander Edward Ellsberg, only to be thwarted by severe weather. Significant effort was made to rescue six known survivors trapped in the forward torpedo room, who had exchanged a series of signals with the rescue force, by tapping on the hull. [4] As the trapped men used the last of available oxygen in the sub, they sent a morse-coded message, "Is there any hope?” The response, composed by Captain King was: "There is hope. Everything possible is being done." [9] Thwarted by the weather, the rescue force could not rescue the six men, and all 40 men aboard were lost. [4]

During the course of the rescue operation, Chief Gunner's Mate Thomas Eadie, rescued at the risk of his own life, a fellow diver, Fred Michels, who became fouled in the wreckage while attempting to attach an air hose to S-4. For his heroism, Eadie was awarded the Medal of Honor.

S-4 was raised on 17 March 1928, the submarine was towed to the Boston Navy Yard for dry-docking and was decommissioned on 19 March 1928. [4] The salvage effort were commanded by Captain King. Several of the salvage divers, including Eadie, and previous Medal of Honor recipient Frank W. Crilley, were awarded the Navy Cross for their actions during the operation. Another Medal of Honor recipient, Chief Boatswain George Cregan, received the Navy Cross for his service as commander of the tugboat Sagamore during the rescue attempt.

Recommissioning

S-4 was recommissioned on 16 October 1928, [4] after repairs and conversion to a test vessel for submarine rescue experimentation.[ citation needed ] She served at Key West, Florida, early in 1929–1930, and in the Northeastern United States during the remainder of those years. In 1931, she operated again at New London, until departing there on 3 January 1932, for Pearl Harbor. Sailing via the Panama Canal, she arrived at Pearl Harbor on 29 August 1932. [4]

Fate

On 7 April 1933, S-4 was decommissioned and laid up. She was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 15 January 1936, and scuttled on 15 May 1936. [4] [10]

See also

References

Bibliography

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