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U.S. S-Class Submarines

Designed during World War I, the first several members of the S class were commissioned in 1919 and 1920. Eventually, 51 were built in a number of variants by four different shipyards: Fore River Shipbuilding, the Lake Torpedo Boat Corporation, the Portsmouth Navy Yard, and the Union Iron Works. The last to be commissioned was S-47 (SS-158) in September 1925. (She was also one of the last to be de-commissioned, in October 1945.)

Planned as a compromise between a coastal defense boat and a full-fledged fleet submarine, the S-class were powered by twin diesel engines and electric motors on two shafts. Over many re-enginings during the life of the class, per-diesel output ranged from 500 to 1,000 horsepower. Most were fitted with four 21-inch bow torpedo tubes, but several were later re-designed to add one or two stern tubes.

During World War II, the S-boats carried a 4-inch deck gun and occasionally a 20-millimeter anti-aircraft gun.

Although there was a great deal of variability among individual submarines, approximate general characteristics of the later ships of the class follow:

Length: 225 feet
Beam: 21 feet
Draft: 17 feet
Displacement: 960 tons surfaced, 1,130 tons submerged
Surface Speed: 12-14 knots
Submerged Speed: 10 knots
Surface Endurance: 3,500 nm at 6.5 knots
Submerged Endurance: 20 hours at 5 knots
Complement: 4 officers; 39 enlisted men

Veterans for Constitution Restoration is a non-profit, non-partisan educational and grassroots activist organization. The primary area of concern to all VetsCoR members is that our national and local educational systems fall short in teaching students and all American citizens the history and underlying principles on which our Constitutional republic-based system of self-government was founded. VetsCoR members are also very concerned that the Federal government long ago over-stepped its limited authority as clearly specified in the United States Constitution, as well as the Founding Fathers' supporting letters, essays, and other public documents.

Tribute to a Generation - The memorial will be dedicated on Saturday, May 29, 2004.

Actively seeking volunteers to provide this valuable service to Veterans and their families.

Thanks SAM.

Those were miserable conditions up there. It is a place often forgotten so it's good to see stories about it here at the Foxhole.

Dad of Foxhole FReeper Samwise was stationed in the Aleutians

Here is the picture of Daddy's sled dogs when he was in Alaska/Aleutians. They were soldiers too. Dad said they kept him from freezing to death one night.

One of Dad's buddies is giving him a lift.

I commented to Samwise I thought her father was a handsome man. Her response - You are correct. He was very good looking. He said that when he got home from the war, the girls all wanted a medal or a ribbon. They even took some of his uniform buttons. Of course, he didn't tell me that--he told my husband. LOL

Working in the field - I have the camera that Dad used to take these pictures. He loaned another GI some money and the camera was collateral. Dad was never one to spend much money, and he loaned the other guys money a lot. He said they were bad about wasting it. He said that once he loaned a lot of money to another GI for an emergency of some sort. Never expecting to see the money again, Dad forgot all about it. Years after the war, Dad got a letter with cash from the guy, paying the debt in full.

The tent on the right is Dad's. They held prisoners in the building in the back.