|
|
|
|
|
|
|
During my
research on the the S-51 collision, I
became interested in the history of the S-Boats. There are not a lot of resources to be found on these
boats, very little has been written about them in comparison to the Fleet Boats of World War II. However, they do provide a
fascinating and little known chapter in the history of U.S. Submarine construction and
warfare. |
||
| I would like to thank all those who have contributed to these efforts. Your help has been invaluable. In particular I would like to thank Robert (Bob) L. Sminkey CDR (SS) USN ret. who provided me with most of the individual boat histories. CDR Sminkey also writes for the American Submariner Magazine |
|
My goal is to present a comprehensive look at the S-Boat submarines, Gallant Ladies of the Fleet, on these pages. Thus far, I have collected and posted photographs of 38 different S-Boats and a total of 112 S-boat or S-boat related photos in all on the Graphics Pages. The photographs are black and white and quite old, thus the resolution on some of them, is not what I would like it to be. The September 26, 2025 headlines of the S-51 sinking and the S-51 plan and elevation drawing are also posted on the Graphics page. I will continue to search for further information, resources, and graphics, and will add them as they are found. If any shipmates visiting these pages have a graphic/photo of an S-Boat, a personal account of service on an S-Boat, or have access to a resource that is not on these pages, I will gratefully accept a copy (with credit to the donor), to enhance this tribute to the S-Boats. I would eventually like to have at least one graphic of each of the 51 S-Boats. Shipmate Tom Parks has written a personal account of his experience on board the S-39 called Sugar Boat Days. It is presented here for your enjoyment. NEW: A Letter and a Poem by Shipmate Joe Dawson concerning his personal Recollections of USS S-4 has also been added. |
|
|
|
The first S-Boat was commissioned in 1918 and the last in 1925. They were the first group of submarines built to a Navy design. There were four variations in tonnage and the boats were constructed at four different yards; Bethlehem Steelyards in Quincy and San Francisco, Lake Torpedo Boat in Bridgeport, and Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine. They ranged in size from 219 to 265 feet but all had a diving depth of 200 feet. Each boat was equipped four 21-inch forward torpedo tubes, with the exception of the S-10 through S-13 and S-48 through S-51, which had four forward and one after tube. Several of the S-Boats saw service in World War II including the S-44 (SS 149).
|
|
The First S-Boat
to be lost at sea was the USS S-5. The first
to be sunk with loss of life, was the USS S-51. Tara Guthrie
has an outstanding Web Site
dedicated to the memory of her grandfather, a radioman aboard the S-51,
Tara's pages contain interesting information and great photographs of the ship, both
before and after the collision. |
|
 Submarine and Ship Covers and Stamp Collection |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
These pages were last updated
October 1, 2025 © |
