S-26

This is a fine shot of S-26 at nearly a dead stop, probably in California waters, approximately 1925. She has no way on, with her engines secured. She is likely answering bells on the battery. She is not anchored, because if she was she would be displaying the Union Jack from the forward jackstaff and the national ensign from the aft flagstaff. The ensign is being flown from the fairwater flagstaff, meaning she is underway.

Her 4"/50 caliber Mk 12 gun mount is elevated skyward, indicating that maintenance was being performed. Several crewmen are lounging topside.

The Lapwing-class minesweeper USS Tern (AM-31) is standing by in the background.

Photo NH 108424 via the NHHC.

S-26 underway in a channel, likely in Southeast Loch in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in the spring of 1925. The buildings in the background appear to be workshops for the Navy Yard, still in its early phases at this time. S-26 would be outbound in the picture, having just left the Submarine Base.

Photo NH 42688 via the NHHC.

A close up of the photo on the previous page, showing the S-26 entering port in San Diego, approximately 1927-1930. This shows two crewmen using a very long segmented ram rod to clean the bore of the deck gun. The breach is open and the end of the rod can be seen, along with a cleaning swab attached to it. Although this Mk 9 gun was considered a "wet-mount" that could be submerged in salt water without damage, it still required frequent and intensive maintenance, or the corrosive effects of sea water would quickly render it inoperable. This gun had the muzzle end normally closed by a tampion, with the other end having a watertight swinging breech. The fact that they are swabbing the barrel indicates that the boat had recently finished gunnery practice.

Photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman.

Another close up of the S-26 San Diego photo showing details of the conning tower fairwater. On the lower left the ram rod can be seen protruding from the breech of the gun. The swabbing bag is attached to the end. Additional swabbing bags can be seen on the edge of the fairwater, just forward of one of the circular conning tower deadlights. Above the deadlight window both of the port side running lights are rigged out. On the bridge is one enlisted sailor (either a Quartermaster or a lookout) and an officer (the Officer of the Deck). Behind the bridge is the open deck hatch leading down to an access trunk that lets into the after battery/crew's mess compartment. There is a Chief Petty Officer standing at the aft edge of the conning tower fairwater.

Photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman.

Unfortunately, S-26 was lost in a tragic accident on January 24, 1942. While conducting night maneuvers with the USS PC-460 in the Gulf of Panama on the Pacific side of the Panama Canal, S-26 was rammed by the PC-460 and sunk in 300 feet of water. This photo shows the three survivors of the S-26. The men, who were all on the bridge at the time, are (L to R) LT Robert E. M. Ward, XO of the S-26; LCDR Earle C. Hawk, Commanding Officer of the S-26, and on far right Seaman Joe B. Hurst, a lookout on watch on the bridge with the other two. Between LCDR Hawk and Seaman Hurst is Captain T. J. Doyle who was in charge of the rescue operations. The men are looking at a buoy launched by the men still trapped in the submarine. Without any suitable rescue or salvage equipment in the area due to the pressures of the war, the few survivors trapped in the sunken boat perished before any attempt to rescue them could be made, despite heroic efforts of divers in the deep water. It was decided to leave the wreck where it lay. It was never salvaged.

LCDR Hawk went on to place the USS Pompon (SS-267) in commission in March 1943 as her Commanding Officer. Lt Ward went on to eventually command Sailfish (SS-192) and turned in a fine war record. It is not known where Seaman Hurst went after the sinking. By all accounts he survived the war.

The wreck of the S-26 was rediscovered and surveyed on January 27, 2017 by a team from the Lost 52 Project led by Tim Taylor.

Photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman.

The PC-460, seen here in 1943 after her bow had been repaired from the ramming and sinking of the S-26. Incredibly, even though the PC-460 had just been operating with the S-26 in night maneuvers, shortly after the two split up the PC-460 resighted the submarine and made the assumption that it was a German U-boat. It turned to ram and struck the S-26 on the starboard side in the torpedo room, sinking her in a few seconds. Only the three men on the bridge survived.

U.S. Navy photo

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