US Submarines ~ Pre WWI Submarines ~ WWI Submarines ~ Post WWI Submarines ~ 1920's Submarines ~ 1930's Submarines ~ Submarines in 1940
The S-Boats
Page1  Page 2  Page 3  Page 4 
USS S-31
The USS S-31 at gunnery practice. circa 1930's
You can see the splash of the round hitting the water just a short way from the boat.
Aiming and firing was a judgement thing and the boat must have rolled as the round was fired.
USS S-32 SS 137
USS S-32 SS 137
USS S-32
USS S-32 SS 137 off Tsingtao, China. Date unknown.
S-32 bridge detail
USS S-32 SS 137 off Tsingtao, China. Bridge detail.
USS S-32 SS 137 along side a tender with 4 other S class submarines
Photo provided by Rick Larson MMCM (SS) (ret.)
S-32 crew under deck awning
The USS S-32 tied up along side a tender. Crew is under shielding awning.
Photo provided by Rick Larson MMCM (SS) (ret.)
Laundry Day
USS S-32. Other subs tied up behind the 32 are doing their laundry.
Photo provided by Rick Larson MMCM (SS) (ret.)
USS S-32 diving
The USS S-32 diving. Circa 1930's
S-32 in San Francisco Bay
This could very well be the last known photo taken of the S-32. S-32 arrived Sept. 13, 1945
in San Francisco. The S-32 was was decommissioned at Mare Island on 19 October.
Her name was struck from the Navy list on 1 November 1945.  The flags in the foreground
are attached to the USS Tautog SS 199 while she was open for public visits during Sept/Oct 1945.
Info from Subnet.com
S-32 in San Francisco Sept/Oct 1945. There appears to be two tugs
coming along side the S-32 but they could also just be passing her too.
There appears to be a prop wake astern of the S-32 so she might be under
way on her own power. Periscope and flags are from the USS Tautog SS 199.
USS S-33 SS 138
USS S-33 SS 138
Hold Mouse Over Image
To Scroll the Image Use Mouse Wheel

An undated photo but most likely circa mid 1930's, possibly Cavite or Pearl Harbor. I can't identify the location but it appears to be a navy yard of some sorts. The date is after modifications that lead to the cutting away of the after superstructure and installation of the messenger buoy. The sub is sitting at the dock with a down by the bow angle. You can see the waterline marks on the hull and around the messenger buoy fairing.

Quite extensive work is being done by the number of power lines and air hoses leading from the dock to the sub. There is ventilation ducting leading to the subs engineroom and bridge to either force cool air in or carry away fumes from possible welding and burning.

Original Photo from the Private Collection of Ric Hedman

Hold Mouse Over Image
To Scroll the Image Use Mouse Wheel

An undated photo but most likely circa mid 1920's to early 1930's. I can't identify the location but it appears to be a major navy yard. The USS S-34 is featured in the center and a crewman is standing for the camera with his feet straddling the "K" tube, an early form of a sonar. There are 3 other "S" class subs moored outboard. The boat just outboard the S-34 is facing the opposite direction, as are the other two, and a portion of the after superstructure has been removed to gain access to most likely the engine exhausts and mufflers. The next two subs have crew laundry out to dry from the radio antenna support cables. The second boat out has an awning rigged over the foredeck and gun.

Original Photo from the Private Collection of Ric Hedman
S-34 moored in a nest alongside the USS Beaver
S-34 moored in a nest alongside the USS Beaver.
There are five S-boats moored here. The second boat out from the
tender appears to have a different stern. The S-10 through S-13 were
built with one stern torpedo tube. This is no doubt one of those four subs.
All the subs have "dressed ship" meaning they are flying all their signal flags.
Ships and naval vessels do this for special occasions and holidays
USS S-35 SS 140
USS S-35 SS 140 at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard,
Bremerton, Washington  May 2, 1943.
USS S-35
USS S-35 in rough weather
USS S-35
USS S-35 in rough weather. Date and location unknown.
The USS S-35 with an unidentified S-boat . Circa 1930's
USS S-36 under construction
USS S-36 under construction, December 30, 1921 at
Union Iron Works, San Francisco, CA.
Photo courtesy of Ray 'Oldgoat' Stone
USS S-36 SS 141
USS S-36 SS 141. March 29, 1923, 6 days before commissioning.
USS S-36 SS 141
USS S-36 SS 141 off Tsingtao, China, 1936.
She grounded in WW II on Jan 20, 1942 and was destroyed
by crew before abandoning ship.
USS S-36 SS 141
USS S-36 SS 141 off Tsingtao, China, 1936.
USS S-36 at gunnery practice off Tsingtao, China, 1936.
USS S-36 at gunnery practice off Tsingtao, China, 1936.
USS S-36 at gunnery practice.
USS S-36 at gunnery practice off Tsingtao, China, 1936.
S-36 bow taken in dry dock
Photo of the S-36 bow taken in dry dock.
Torpedo tube outer doors and shutters are open.
Photo provided by Rick Larson MMCM (SS) (ret.)
S-36 loading torpedoes from a tender
The S-36 loading torpedoes from the tender.
Photo taken from tender USS Canopus.
Photo provided by Rick Larson MMCM (SS) (ret.)
S-boats moored to the USS Canopus
S-37, S-40, S-36, S-38, S-41 and S-39
moored to the USS Canopus at Tsingtao, China circa 1930.
Naval Historical Center Photo
S-37 off Tsingtao, China
S-37 off Tsingtao, China. An other unidentified S-boat is background.
Photo taken from tender USS Canopus.
Photo provided by Rick Larson MMCM (SS) (ret.)
Tsingtao, Chins circa 1930
Deck guns all in a row.
Tsingtao, China circa 1930. Boats shown are the S-36, S-39,
(unseen boat is most likely the S-32), S-37 and S-41
Naval Historical Center Photo
Tsingtao, China photo
Another view of the photo above.
Naval Historical Center Photo
S37, 38, 39, 40 at Olongapo, Philippines
S37, 38, 39, 40 at Olongapo, Philippines
Naval Historical Center Photo
S-37 crewman with deckgun
S-37 crewman with deckgun. Most of the white speckles under gun barrel
are damage to the  film emulsion on the original print. Date unknown.
Photo probably taken off the coast of Tsingtao, China, 1930's.
S-37 crewmen with deckgun
S-37 crewmen with deckgun.
Photo probably taken off the coast of Tsingtao, China, 1930's.
S-37 crewmen
Closeup of crewmen.
Photo probably taken off the coast of Tsingtao, China, 1930's
S-37 crew at gun practice
S-37 crewmen at gun practice with the deckgun.
Photo taken off the coast of Tsingtao, China, 1925.
S-37 crew at gun practice
S-37 crewmen at gun practice with the deckgun.
Photo taken off the coast of Tsingtao, China, 1925.
S-37 in dry dock
S-37 in dry dock in Olongapo, PI. Marine on guard. 1925
S-37 in dry dock
S-37 in dry dock in Olongapo, PI. Marine on guard. 1925
S-37 taking on fuel
S-37 taking on fuel at sea circa 1925
USS S-37 SS 142

USS S-37 SS 142

U.S.S. S-37 (SS-142), on the THIRD War Patrol of that submarine during the month of February 1942, in enemy controlled waters of the Makassar Strait. During a night surface attack against a division of Japanese destroyers on 8 February 1942, Lieutenant Dempsey, the Commanding Officer, attacked a Japanese convoy, torpedoing and sinking the destroyer Natsushiro. In this action the ship became the first U.S. submarine ever to sink an enemy destroyer.


USS S-37 SS 142
USS S-37 SS 142 diving off Tsingtao, China. circa 1936.
Removal of bodies
Removal of the bodies of 3 crew killed in an explosion aboard the S-37, Oct. 1923.
S-37 ships bell
S-37 ships bell.
The S-37's bell is on display at the San Diego Maritime Museum
Photo Courtesy of the California Wreck Divers Assoc.
A wheel off the S-37
This is one of 3 such wheels that would have been aboard the S-37.
It is listed on the California Wreck Divers Assoc. page, who have
so graciously allowed me to use these photos, as a "Wheel"
probably meaning the Helm. It could also be from the stern or
bow planes controller stations.
Photo Courtesy of the California Wreck Divers Assoc.
Lines drawing S-37
Lines drawing of the USS S-37
Photo Courtesy of the California Wreck Divers Assoc.
S-37 midship section
S-37 midship section
Photo Courtesy of the California Wreck Divers Assoc.
S-37 Torpedoroom
The S-37 torpedo tube doors
Photo Courtesy of the California Wreck Divers Assoc.
S-37 surfacing from a dive
S-37 surfacing from a dive
Photo Courtesy of the California Wreck Divers Assoc.
USS S-38 SS 143
USS S-38 SS 143 on Asiatic Station in the late 1920's
On Dec 21, 1941 the S-38 was ordered to attack the Japanese  forces in
Lingayen Gulf, Luzon, Philipines. The S-38 crept into the gulf over a coral
reef to evade Japanese patrol boats. and fired on and sank the transport
Hayo Maru, a 5400 ton ship, though the Japaese counter attacked the S-38
slipped away. A Battery explosion forced her return to Manila on Christmas Eve.
Photo contributed by John P. Mullikin who's father, Machinist Mate John Arthur Mullikin, served on the S-38 and took this picture.
John Arthur Mullikin first qualified on the USS S-2 in the mid 1920's.
S-39 off Tsingtao, China
USS S-39 off Tsingtao, China.
Photo taken from tender USS Canopus.
Photo provided by Rick Larson MMCM (SS) (ret.)
USS Canopus with USS S-39, S-36, S-37, S-40 & S-38
USS Canopus anchored off Tsingtao, China  with
USS S-39, S-36, S-37, S-40 & S-38 moored along side during the mid 1930's.
Read / Sign our Deck Log

Page1  Page 2  Page 3  Page 4 
Holland | A-Boats | B-Boats | C-Boats | D-Boats | E-Boats | F-Boats |
| G-Boats | H-Boats | K-Boats | L-Boats | M-Boats | N-Boats | O-Boats |
| R-Boats | S-Boats | T-Boats | V-Boats | Simon Lake Subs| The Fleet Boats |
| Home |
Page created by:
Ric Hedman 1999 - 2006©
RD Designs
Webs of Interest TM
Seattle,WA
rddesign@rddesigns.com
The author is a Member of The HTML Writers Guild
The HTMLWriters Guild