History
The first practical submarine craft were based on the designs of John Holland and Simon Lake. Although, the United States was the first Navy to build and use submarines built to those designs, they soon fell behind the European powers in the construction of new and more versatile craft. In 1912, through the efforts of LT. Chester Nimitz, the U.S. Navy switched from gasoline to diesel engines, but these boats performed poorly. By 1917, when the Americans entered World War I, the English and the Germans, whose submarine technology was also based on the Lake and Holland designs, had far outdistanced the U.S.
The Navy, determined to catch up to the European powers in submarine technology, began planning for a larger more seaworthy craft that could keep pace with the rest of the fleet while traveling on the surface. The S-Boats were the first attempt by the Navy to accomplish this task. The first new American postwar submarines, they had actually begun construction during World War I. The S-Boats represented a new approach to submarine construction by the Navy. The contracts were placed through competitive bids for the first time in U.S. Naval history.
The S-Class Boats were built to increase the range, durability, size, and number of torpedoes carried over that of it's World War I predecessors. Two designs were tried, one by Holland and the other by Lake. The Lake design proved inadequate and only one boat S-2 was built to that design. The S-Boats were actually a larger improved version of the wartime K, L, and O Class Boats. With a top speed of 14 1/2 to 15 knots, a diving depth of 200 feet, and a range of 5000 miles, with the exception of S-48 through S-51 (8000 miles), the S-Boat's performance was still considered poor by the Navy.
There were 51 S-Boats built between 1918 and 1924. Four versions of the S-Boat were constructed. They are divided into Groups. Group 1 boats were built by Bethlehem Steel at Quincy and San Francisco. Group 2 boats, a Navy design, were built at Portsmouth Navy Yard and Bridgeport Connecticut. Group 3 and 4 boats were also built at Quincy Massachusetts by Bethlehem Steel, however the Group 4 boats were built to a larger and improved Lake design.
The S-Boats were the backbone of the U.S. submarine fleet in-between World Wars I and II, however, they had numerous problems. Four of the boats sank due to internal system failures and two, (S-51 and S-4) were rammed and sunk.
The first S-Boat to sink was the S-5, which sank during a test dive in 1920 off the Delaware coastline. The loss was the result of flooding through the main air induction valve. The captain ordered the after ballast tanks blown. This resulted in the stern of the boat extending clear of the water. A small hole was then cut in the hull and the crew attempted to attract passing ships by waving a burning rag tied to a piece of pipe. The first ship to notice the S-5 was the cargo ship Alanthus. Her captain originally thought that the S-5's stern was an unidentified buoy and that he was off course. He approached the sunken sub in an attempt to identify the buoy and only then noticed the waving pipe. Unfortunately the Alanthus did not have an operational radio or a cutting device. The next ship on the scene was the
George W. Goethals. She did not have cutting devices either but did have a
working radio and sent out a distress signal. The chief engineer and the crew of the Goethals using the tools he had on hand: drills, ratchets, hacksaws, and a crowbar and working in shifts over several hours enlarged the hole in S-5 to the point where the crew could be evacuated. The USS Ohio was the first Naval vessel on the scene. The S-36, S-39, and S-48 also sank without loss of life.
The S-51 was rammed by the steamship City of Rome on September 5, 1925, resulting in loss of life for Thirty Seven sailors. There were only three survivors. In December of 1927 a Coast Guard Cutter off the coast of Massachusetts rammed the S-4. Although divers were able to communicate with the men in the bow compartment, bad weather prevented them from raising the boat until March, 1926. Forty sailors were lost in this incident. Accidents and problems plagued the S-Boats throughout their life cycle, but they continued to serve as an effective force into and through the Second World War.
The S-1 became the first and only U.S. submarine until after World War II to carry and launch aircraft. The S-1 conducted floatplane tests in 1923, 1926, and 1932. The first tests, using a Martin MS-1 were a failure due to the length of time required for the aircraft assembly. The second set of tests in 1926, using an XS-1 floatplane, were more successful with only 12 minutes required to assemble and launch the aircraft.
On December 7, 2025 the United States had 12 S Boats assigned to the two Pacific fleets. Six of these were assigned to Pacific Fleet under Rear Admiral Withers. All six of these boats were either under repair or conducting training on the U.S. West Coast. Admiral Thomas Hart, a veteran Submariner commanded the Asiatic fleet. He had under his command 29 submarines which included six S Boats. The Six S Boats were assigned to Submarine Division 201 commanded by Commander R. B. Vanzant. The assigned S Boats were:
S-36 LT. John R. McKnight Jr.
S-37 LT. James C. Dempsey
S-38 LT. Wreford G. Chapple
S-39 LT. James W. Coe
S-40 LT. Nicholas Lucker Jr.
S-41 LCDR George M. Holly
All six of these boats were the Type 1, 219 feet, with four forward torpedo tubes. The Asiatic Submarine force included the submarine tenders Holland, Canopus, and Otus.
S-36 and S-39 were on station when they received the news that war with Japan had commenced. S-36 began patrolling the approaches to Bolinao Harbor off the West Coast of Luzon and S-39 patrolled the San Bernardino Strait. S-38 was dispatched to patrol the Verde Island passage along with S-37. The remaining two S Boats were sent out on December 9th, the S-40 to patrol the Verde Island Passage and the S-41 to cover the approaches to Looc Bay, Tablas Island.
Two of the old Pig Boats saw immediate action. S-38 sighted a transport on December 12. LT Chapple directed a night-surface attack and fired one torpedo at the target. Although it sounded like a hit, damage could not be confirmed and the torpedo may have gone off prematurely. S-39 attacked a 5,000 ton freighter on December 13th. LT Coe fired four torpedoes. He reported a solid hit, however, the sinking could not be subsequently verified.
Eight days later, on December 21, S-38 was ordered into Lingayen Gulf to attack a group of transports anchored there. LT (Moon) Chapple submerged the boat and began his approach at 0615. S-38 fired four torpedoes at four selected targets and all four missed. She was then attacked by Japanese destroyers and driven to the bottom. After enduring a severe depth-charging for almost an hour she regained periscope depth and fired a fifth torpedo into the 5,445-ton freighter, Hayo Maru sinking her immediately. Once more S-38 came under depth charge attack. She was forced to stay on the bottom for most of the day. S-38 endured four more depth charge attacks and three groundings before getting clear. The transport sunk by the S-38 was one of only three ships sunk by American submarines in December of 1941.
NOTE : One of the problems faced early in the war by all American submarines was defective torpedoes. The Mark 10 with which S-38 was equipped, ran four feet deeper than was set.
S-Boats continued to serve through World War II in training and in combat roles. The S-Boat with the best wartime record was the S-44 which sank the Japanese heavy cruiser
KAKO in 1942 during her third war patrol. Each of these gallant and aging Boats performed well and in the best traditions of the Service. At the end of the war, however, those boats still remaining met the fate of so many other Grande Dames of the Sea; they were scrapped by the Navy.
I sat here for some time trying to think of a fitting finish to this short history and tribute to the S-Boats and only three words came to mind,
Thank You Shipmates!
