United States S-class submarine


The United States' S-class submarines, often simply called S-boats, were the first class of submarines with a significant number built to United States Navy designs. Others of this class were built to contractor designs.
The United States Navy commissioned 51 S-class submarines from 1920 to 1925. The first S-boat,, was commissioned in 1920 and the last numerically,, in 1922. The last of the class actually commissioned was in 1925. The S class is subdivided into four groups of different designs:
S-2 was a prototype built by Lake, and was not repeated.
S-1, S-2, and S-3 were prototypes built to the same specification: S-1 designed by Electric Boat, S-2 by Lake, and S-3 by the Bureau of Construction and Repair . The S-2 Lake boat was considered inferior. The Electric Boat and BuC&R designs were put into production as Group I and Group II.
SS-159 to SS-168 and SS-173 to SS-176 were cancelled and, contrary to later practice, the hull numbers were used for subsequent submarines. Some of the material for these was used by Electric Boat to build the Peruvian Navy's four R-boats.
The first S-boat, S-1, was launched on 26 September 1918, by Bethlehem at Fore River, but not commissioned until 5 June 1920.

Design

There were three distinctly different prototypes for the S-boats. The Electric Boat design formed the basis for the Group I and Group IV boats and were essentially enlarged versions of all their previous designs. A single hull design, all of the ballast tanks were contained within the pressure hull. The hull was a rounded spindle shape and the rudder was placed at the very end of the hull, aft of the twin screws. Compared to the previous R-boats, Group I S-boats were longer, with more beam, more draft, and 60% greater displacement. This allowed for greater range, larger engines and higher speed, and more torpedo reloads, though the number of forward torpedo tubes was unchanged.
The Lake design, S-2, was a modified double hull type, with ballast tanks wrapped around the inner pressure hull. The stern ended in a flat "shovel" shape which gave the stern needed buoyancy. The rudder was mounted beneath the stern and the pivot structure also supported the stern diving planes. To gain surface buoyancy, the superstructure atop the boat was partially watertight. Sea trials showed that the bow tended to burrow into the waves so Lake added a buoyancy tank to the bow, which gave it a humped appearance. This boat suffered from poor maneuverability and was overcomplicated. It proved to be unreliable and was not well liked by its crew. The Navy did not choose it for mass production and no further boats were produced to this design.
Seven of the Group II and all the Group IV boats had an additional stern tube. Group IV was also longer and had less draft. The Electric Boat designs were single-hulled, the others were double-hulled. All S-boats had a 4-inch /50 caliber deck gun, a significant increase over the 3-inch gun of previous US submarines. This was due to observations that the German U-boats frequently used their deck guns, and many U-boats were equipped with 105 mm deck guns. Another improvement was the conning tower fairwater. Previous US submarines had small fairwaters to reduce drag and improve submerged speed. Experience gained on North Atlantic patrols during WWI showed that the boats would be spending considerable time on the surface and thus needed better protection for the bridge watchstanders. Examination of captured U-boats after the Armistice also showed that a larger fairwater with permanent grab rails was preferable when surfaced in the North Atlantic, so S-boats were built or backfitted with an improved and much larger fairwater.
Future admiral Hyman G. Rickover was assigned to USS S-48. He later credited the "faulty, sooty, dangerous and repellent engineering" of the S-class boats with inspiring his obsession for high engineering standards.
In 1923, experimented with a float plane. A cylindrical hangar was installed on the after deck to house a single Martin MS-1 float plane. Tests showed the concept to be unworkable, and the equipment was subsequently removed. The hangar was later reused and rebuilt as the prototype for the McCann Rescue Chamber, a diving bell for rescuing crewmen from sunken submarines.

Service

At the entry of the United States into World War II in December 1941, the S-class submarines ranged in age from 16 to 21 years. While the US Navy has two older classes of submarines at that time, the S-class was the oldest class of submarine to be used in combat operations.
S boats saw service in World War II in both the Atlantic and the Pacific. Smaller and slower than the later fleet submarines produced for war service, and lacking the range for Pacific Ocean patrols, they were used in reconnaissance and supply roles, as well as for coastal defense.
S-boats operated in the Alaska theater during the aftermath of the Battle of the Aleutian Islands, based out of Dutch Harbor. Some also operated out of Australia in the Southwest Pacific Area. Most were withdrawn from front-line service by late 1943 as more fleet submarines became available, and were relegated to ASW training. Two S boats conducted combat patrols in 1944 with the last combat patrol by an S boat being conducted by S-42 from 5 August to 3 September 1944.
In World War II, S-class boats did not use the newer Mark 14 torpedo, standard in fleet submarines, due to shorter torpedo tubes, relying on the World War I-vintage Mark 10 instead.
During World War II, 37 S-boats were in service when the United States entered the war in December 1941. 20 S-boats were awarded battle stars and 17 were credited with sinking a collective total of 42 Japanese ships. Six commissioned S-boats were lost during the war - 5 due to accidents and one in combat.
Some S-class boats were transferred to other navies, such as the six transferred to the British Royal Navy. These were mostly used for training in anti-submarine warfare and removed from service by mid-1944.
As newer submarines were put in service during World War II, S-boats were withdrawn from combat service and provided training support instead. Starting in late 1944, a total of 11 boats were decommissioned and used for experimental purposes, including being sunk by experimental weapons.
13 S-boats were still in service when the Japanese surrendered on 2 September 1945. Of the 13, 11 were decommissioned in October 1945, one in November and S-15 remained in commission until June 1946.

S-boat fates

All S-boats were scrapped after World War II except those listed below.

Lost at sea between wars

4 submarines
6 submarines

Decommissioned between World War I and World War II and not recommissioned

6 submarines
7 submarines
11 S-boats were decommissioned in 1944 and 1945 prior to the surrender of Japan. They were mostly expended as targets.
13 S-boats were in commission when the Japanese surrendered on 2 September 1945. All except one,, were decommissioned by the end of November 1945. S-15 was decommissioned in June 1946.

General characteristics

Group I

1 × 4 inch /50 caliber deck gun