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The interwar submarine force underwent a significant transformation with the introduction of the United States’ S-class submarines, also referred to as “Sugar” boats or S-boats, after the Navy’s phonetic alphabet. Being the first to concentrate on open ocean, blue sea operations as opposed to coastal defence, these vessels represented a change from earlier designs. Although they were planned during World War I, their construction was put off until after the conflict. The S-class submarines were not considered fleet submarines, but they were nonetheless important in many theatres of World War I and World War II.
The S-class submarines were put into service between 1920 and 1925 and had 51 units. The first and last ships in this class, USS S-1 and USS S-51 demonstrated the class’s chronological range. The last commissioned ship, USS S-47, entered service in September 1925 due to construction issues that disrupted the sequence. Based on design differences, the S-class is further divided into four separate categories.
Group I submarines also referred to as the “Holland” type or S-1 class, comprised vessels S-1 to S-41. For the Electric Boat Company, the designer, Bethlehem Steel at Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts, and Union Iron Works in San Francisco, California, served as subcontractors in the construction of these boats. Boats S-3 to S-17, built at the Portsmouth Navy Yard and Lake Torpedo Boat in Bridgeport, Connecticut, were included in Group II, sometimes known as the S-3 class or “Navy Yard” type.
The S-42 class (“2nd Holland” type) and the S-48 class (“2nd Navy Yard” type) made up Group III and Group IV, respectively. Boats S-42 to S-47 from the former were built at Fore River, while boats S-48 to S-51 from the latter were built by Lake. It is noteworthy that Lake’s prototype S-2 lacked a cloned design.
S-1, S-2, and S-3, the first three prototypes, were approved in Fiscal Year 1918 and had comparable specs. Electric Boat designed S-1, Lake designed S-2, and the Bureau of Construction and Repair (BuC&R), which subsequently became the Bureau of Ships, designed S-3. Later fiscal year allocations allowed for the series manufacture of these designs.
While some hull numbers were cancelled (SS-159 to SS-168 (2nd Holland) and SS-173 to SS-176 (2nd Navy Yard), their numbers were subsequently carried over to other submarines. S-4, S-5, S-6, and S-2 were the subsequent S-boats in chronological sequence of commissioning, with the S-3 being the first to do so on January 30, 1919. The first unit of Electric Boat was built in Quincy and commissioned on June 5, 1920; the first unit in San Francisco was USS S-30 (SS-135), commissioned on October 29, 1920. The contractors for the Electric Boat operated in both cities concurrently.
General Characteristics:
The United States S-class submarine was distinguished for its powerful capabilities while in service. Its greatest displacement when it is above the surface is 906 tonnes; when it is below the surface, it is 1230 tonnes. These submarines are between 219 and 240 feet long, with the S-2 model being somewhat shorter at 207 feet. The submarines’ sleek and streamlined shape is aided by their beam, or width, which measures 21 to 22 feet. The S-class submarines are stable both above and below the surface due to their draft, which ranges from 13 feet 1 inch to 16 feet 1 inch.
When these submarines surface, their propulsion system allows them to move at 14 to 15 knots. They have remarkable endurance and long-range capabilities, as evidenced by their ability to go 5,000 nautical miles at 10 knots when at sea. These submarines have a test depth of 200 feet, which enables them to function properly at significant depths.
The 38-person crew of S-class submarines are armed to a high degree of capability. Four 21-inch torpedo tubes, with a combined launch capacity of 12 torpedoes, are positioned at the bow. A couple of these submarines have an extra 21-inch stern tube that can hold two more torpedoes. These submarines are equipped with a 4-inch (102 mm)/50 calibre deck gun, which increases their offensive power and combat adaptability.
Service History:
The U.S. S-class submarines’ operational and service history offers insight into the difficulties and contributions these ships made during World War II. During the builder’s sea trials, a major setback welcomed the first two boats completed by Electric Boat (EB), the S-1 at Quincy and the S-30 at San Francisco. The NELSECO 8-EB-15 engines’ undersized crankshafts created severe torsional drive train vibrations, which ultimately destroyed both engines on both submarines. This shortfall caused havoc in the manufacturing process, causing some boats to be incomplete and others to run at a reduced capacity until a fix was found. By rebuilding the engines with larger crankshafts thanks to additional money, EB was able to finally fix the torsional vibration issue.
Following the Bureau of Construction and Repair (BuC&R) design, Portsmouth and Lake manufactured boats with various engines, such as Busch-Sulzer or MAN diesel engines. These alternatives proved to be more dependable than the NELSECO engines employed by EB, providing satisfactory performance throughout their service lives, despite certain inherent design and engineering flaws in early diesel engines.
With an average age of 16 to 21 years old, the S-class submarines were the oldest class of submarines engaged in combat operations when World War II broke out in December 1941. Thirteen of the thirty-seven S-boats in operation were awarded combat stars during the war, and seventeen of them were recognised for sinking forty-two Japanese ships in all. Five of the S-boats were lost in accidents, while one was lost in action.
Several S-class vessels were sent to other militaries for anti-submarine warfare training, particularly one to Poland and five to the Royal Navy. S-boats participated in supply missions, coastal defence, and reconnaissance while operating in both the Atlantic and Pacific theatres of the war. Some S-boats were active in Alaska and the Southwest Pacific, but eight of them fought the entire war in the Atlantic theatre. As more advanced fleet submarines became accessible, S-boats were progressively removed from active duty and repurposed for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) instruction.
One example of the class’s combat success was the USS S-44, which in August 1942, at Kavieng, intercepted and successfully assaulted the Japanese force that was withdrawing following the Battle of Savo Island. A noteworthy accomplishment for the S-class submarines was the heavy cruiser Kako being sunk by the S-44’s torpedoes.
S-boats were slowly removed from combat duty and converted to training support roles as the Second World War dragged on. Decommissioned S-boats were put to experimental usage, including being sunk by experimental weaponry, beginning in late 1944. Japan surrendered on September 2, 1945, with thirteen S-boats remaining in operation. This brought an end to the U.S. S-class submarine’s active history; of these, 11 were retired in October 1945, 1 in November, and S-15 was still in service till June 1946.