The H-class of coastal defense submarines were, as usual, scaled up versions of Electric Boat's previous design, the F-class. Three were authorized in Fiscal Year 1910, to begin construction in the spring of 1911. Two were built by Union Iron Works in San Francisco, and one by the Moran Company in Seattle. They were originally named Seawolf, Nautilus, and Garfish, although those names were dropped only a few months after construction was started and before they were launched, in favor of the H-class names. They were mostly successful boats, although they suffered from the usual litany of engine unreliability. H-1 was lost to a grounding incident on the Mexican shore in March, 1920.
The H-class design was a very popular one for EB. They sold it in slightly modified form to the UK and to Russia. In fact, after the fall of the Tsar, a Russian order for six H-class boats was acquired by the USN from their building yard in Vancouver, British Columbia. After the legalities were cleared up, the submarines, uncompleted in knockdown kit form, were transported to the nearby Puget Sound Navy Yard in Bremerton, WA., where they were completed. They were commissioned as the H-4 to H-9. These boats had only minor differences from their earlier siblings. Since their acquisition was delayed, other types had already been ordered by the USN, so these last six boats had hull numbers that fell into the middle of the S-class. This class was fairly successful, but became quickly obsolete after WWI and were discarded in the early 1920's.
Seawolf/H-1 (Submarine No. 28, later SS-28)
H-1 underway near San Francisco, 1914. Her torpedo loading skid is raised, indicating that she may be returning from a torpedo firing exercise. The destroyer USS Stewart (Destroyer No. 13) is underway in the background.
The USS Cheyenne (Monitor No. 10), submarine tender for Submarine Flotilla Two, Pacific Fleet, seen at Bremerton, WA., 1914-1917, along with three H-class submarines. Seen left to right are the H-2, H-3, and the H-1. The H-1 is having some work done on her after end, perhaps maintenance on her screws or engine mufflers. The after end of the hull has been raised using the muzzles of the 12-inch deck guns in the big turret. A strong-back seems to have been lashed across the two barrels. The Cheyenne is likely moored to a dock, as opposed to being anchored out. Various crew can be seen on the Cheyenne's deck, maybe crew from the H-1 have been ordered off while the work is being performed.
