L-class: Difference between revisions
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The L-1 through L-4, and L-9 through L-11 were of the EB design and were built at an EB subcontractor, the Fore River Shipbuilding Co. of Quincy, MA. The Fiscal Year 1913 appropriations that paid for these boats also brought Simon Lake back into the submarine construction chain. The FY-10, 11, and 12 appropriations had given him only one submarine, FY-10's [[G-3|'''G-3''']]. This was mostly because of his very fragile financial situation and because he was struggling to complete and deliver the [[G-class|'''G-class''']] boats that had earlier been assigned to him. Having cleared the G-class construction log jam and having reorganized his company, Lake was assigned L-5 through L-8, although only the L-5 was actually built at the Lake yard in Bridgeport, CT. Desirous of once again having submarines built on the west coast the Navy contract stipulated that at least two boats be built there. Lake sub-contracted the L-6 and L-7 to Craig Shipbuilding in Long Beach, CA. The Bureau of Construction & Repair also wanted to get into the construction business as a means of offsetting the near monopoly that Electric Boat had acquired, and as a way to keep the exasperating Simon Lake at bay. BuC&R officials went to Lake and purchased a license from him to build the L-8 to his design at the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, ME. L-8 was to be the first in a long line of future submarines to be built at government owned Navy Yards. | The L-1 through L-4, and L-9 through L-11 were of the EB design and were built at an EB subcontractor, the Fore River Shipbuilding Co. of Quincy, MA. The Fiscal Year 1913 appropriations that paid for these boats also brought Simon Lake back into the submarine construction chain. The FY-10, 11, and 12 appropriations had given him only one submarine, FY-10's [[G-3|'''G-3''']]. This was mostly because of his very fragile financial situation and because he was struggling to complete and deliver the [[G-class|'''G-class''']] boats that had earlier been assigned to him. Having cleared the G-class construction log jam and having reorganized his company, Lake was assigned L-5 through L-8, although only the L-5 was actually built at the Lake yard in Bridgeport, CT. Desirous of once again having submarines built on the west coast the Navy contract stipulated that at least two boats be built there. Lake sub-contracted the L-6 and L-7 to Craig Shipbuilding in Long Beach, CA. The Bureau of Construction & Repair also wanted to get into the construction business as a means of offsetting the near monopoly that Electric Boat had acquired, and as a way to keep the exasperating Simon Lake at bay. BuC&R officials went to Lake and purchased a license from him to build the L-8 to his design at the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, ME. L-8 was to be the first in a long line of future submarines to be built at government owned Navy Yards. | ||
The L-class made up the bulk of the submarines that the USN deployed to the European war zone during WWI. They operated out of the Azores and Bantry Bay, Ireland on anti U-boat patrols. While in the war zone off Ireland, the boats had the letter "A" painted on the fairwater directly adjacent to their name. This was intended to reduce confusion between the American boats and the Royal Navy's L-class submarines. Not much came of the immense effort that was needed to deploy | The L-class made up the bulk of the submarines that the USN deployed to the European war zone during WWI. They operated out of the Azores and Bantry Bay, Ireland on anti U-boat patrols. While in the war zone off Ireland, the boats had the letter "A" painted on the fairwater directly adjacent to their name. This was intended to reduce confusion between the American boats and the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_L-class_submarine '''Royal Navy's L-class submarines''']. Not much came of the immense effort that was needed to deploy the American boats overseas, as they had no confirmed sinkings of enemy submarines or ships. However, it did drive home the fact that American coastal submarines were too small, too short ranged, and possessed poor habitability for North Atlantic waters. The follow-on [[R-class|'''R-class''']] and [[S-class|'''S-class''']] would correct many of these deficiencies.</span></div> | ||
[[File:Red bar sub.jpg]] | [[File:Red bar sub.jpg]] | ||
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=== <big>L-5 (Submarine No. 44, later SS-44)</big> === | === <big>L-5 (Submarine No. 44, later SS-44)</big> === | ||
[[File:L-5-1a.jpg|left|300px|Photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman]] | [[File:L-5-1a.jpg|left|300px|Photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman]] | ||
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color:#00008B">This photo of L-5 was taken in the early fall of 1918, possibly in Bermuda. The boat is maneuvering alongside a pier, getting ready to tie up after a run at sea. Lines have been flaked out on deck and the two sailors on the bow seem to be ready to throw a " | <div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color:#00008B">This photo of L-5 was taken in the early fall of 1918, possibly in Bermuda. The boat is maneuvering alongside a pier, getting ready to tie up after a run at sea. Lines have been flaked out on deck and the two sailors on the bow seem to be ready to throw a "heevie", a small diameter line with a weight on the end. It is used to throw over to a pier or tender, so that the large, heavy mooring line can then be pulled over and secured. L-5 was a Lake design boat built at Lake's yard in Bridgeport, CT.</span></div> | ||
[[L-5|See more L-5 photos]] | [[L-5|See more L-5 photos]] | ||
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=== <big>L-7 (Submarine No. 46, later SS-46)</big> === | === <big>L-7 (Submarine No. 46, later SS-46)</big> === | ||
[[File:L 7.jpg|left|500px|Photo from the private collection of Ric Hedman]] | [[File:L 7.jpg|left|500px|Photo from the private collection of Ric Hedman]] | ||
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color:#00008B">L-7 with her crew on deck, alongside a submarine tender, most likely the USS Alert (Submarine Tender #4). The location is unknown, but is likely Mare Island Navy Yard. The date is approximately 1918-1919.</span> | <div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color:#00008B">L-7 with her crew on deck, alongside a submarine tender, most likely the [https://www.navsource.org/archives/09/36/3604.htm '''USS Alert (Submarine Tender #4)''']. The location is unknown, but is likely Mare Island Navy Yard. The date is approximately 1918-1919.</span> | ||
[[L-7|See more L-7 photos]] | [[L-7|See more L-7 photos]] | ||
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=== <big>L-8 (Submarine No. 48, later SS-48)</big> === | === <big>L-8 (Submarine No. 48, later SS-48)</big> === | ||
[[File:L-8-1.jpg|left|500px|Photo contributed by Clifford Chapski. His grandfather, Alfred G. Benjamin, took this photo while serving aboard the USS Charles Whittemore.]] | [[File:L-8-1.jpg|left|500px|Photo contributed by Clifford Chapski. His grandfather, Alfred G. Benjamin, took this photo while serving aboard the USS Charles Whittemore.]] | ||
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color:#00008B">L-8 seen from the deck of the USS Charles Whittemore, fall 1918 in the eastern Atlantic during an anti U-boat patrol. The Whittemore was acting as a decoy, and the L-8 would lay in wait for a U-boat to appear. They were unsuccessful in their efforts as the U-boats had become wary of decoy ships and would not approach.</span> | <div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color:#00008B">L-8 seen from the deck of the [https://www.navsource.org/archives/12/173232.htm '''USS Charles Whittemore'''], fall 1918 in the eastern Atlantic during an anti U-boat patrol. The Whittemore was acting as a decoy, and the L-8 would lay in wait for a U-boat to appear. They were unsuccessful in their efforts as the U-boats had become wary of decoy ships and would not approach.</span> | ||
[[L-8|See more L-8 photos]] | [[L-8|See more L-8 photos]] |
Latest revision as of 21:10, 31 October 2024
Design and Construction Notes
The L-1 through L-4, and L-9 through L-11 were of the EB design and were built at an EB subcontractor, the Fore River Shipbuilding Co. of Quincy, MA. The Fiscal Year 1913 appropriations that paid for these boats also brought Simon Lake back into the submarine construction chain. The FY-10, 11, and 12 appropriations had given him only one submarine, FY-10's G-3. This was mostly because of his very fragile financial situation and because he was struggling to complete and deliver the G-class boats that had earlier been assigned to him. Having cleared the G-class construction log jam and having reorganized his company, Lake was assigned L-5 through L-8, although only the L-5 was actually built at the Lake yard in Bridgeport, CT. Desirous of once again having submarines built on the west coast the Navy contract stipulated that at least two boats be built there. Lake sub-contracted the L-6 and L-7 to Craig Shipbuilding in Long Beach, CA. The Bureau of Construction & Repair also wanted to get into the construction business as a means of offsetting the near monopoly that Electric Boat had acquired, and as a way to keep the exasperating Simon Lake at bay. BuC&R officials went to Lake and purchased a license from him to build the L-8 to his design at the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, ME. L-8 was to be the first in a long line of future submarines to be built at government owned Navy Yards.
The L-class made up the bulk of the submarines that the USN deployed to the European war zone during WWI. They operated out of the Azores and Bantry Bay, Ireland on anti U-boat patrols. While in the war zone off Ireland, the boats had the letter "A" painted on the fairwater directly adjacent to their name. This was intended to reduce confusion between the American boats and the Royal Navy's L-class submarines. Not much came of the immense effort that was needed to deploy the American boats overseas, as they had no confirmed sinkings of enemy submarines or ships. However, it did drive home the fact that American coastal submarines were too small, too short ranged, and possessed poor habitability for North Atlantic waters. The follow-on R-class and S-class would correct many of these deficiencies.L-1 (Submarine No. 40, later SS-40)
L-2 (Submarine No. 41, later SS-41)
L-3 (Submarine No. 42, later SS-42)
L-4 (Submarine No. 43, later SS-43)
L-5 (Submarine No. 44, later SS-44)
L-6 (Submarine No. 45, later SS-45)
L-7 (Submarine No. 46, later SS-46)
L-8 (Submarine No. 48, later SS-48)
L-9 (Submarine No. 49, later SS-49)
L-10 (Submarine No. 50, later SS-50)
LT Vincent Arthur Clarke, Jr. was sent for submarine training at New London, Connecticut. Upon graduation he was assigned to submarine duty and sent to the Azores. From there he was made the commanding officer of the L-10, probably relieving LT Newbold T. Lawrence Jr. as CO. The L-10 operated out of Bantry Bay, Ireland for the duration of the war.
This command garnered Clarke a Navy Cross for his persistence in making the L-10 one of the "hot running boats" in WW I, racking up over 1700 hours out on patrol in pursuit of the enemy. War patrols in WW I were only an average of 10 days duration due to the sub's limits on food, water and fuel.
LT Clarke is probably the officer on the bridge in this photo as the L-10 backs away from her mooring. The crew look to be stowing the mooring lines in preparation for possibly heading out on a war patrol looking for German submarines.
L-11 (Submarine No. 51, later SS-51)
General L-class & group photos
Both submarines have a tall forward radio mast. In looking in other archives we have seen only the L-1 with such a mast. So, possibly one of these two vessels could be the L-1 but it could just be coincidence that there only exists one image, other than this one, with these masts. Radio was new and trials were being made all the time.
Neither submarine have any sign of having SC tube listening gear installed at this point. So, a possible date is closer to commissioning, perhaps a late 1916 or early 1917. But for sure this is before the U.S. entered WW I on April 6, 1917. The submarines still are using the old-fashioned pre-war canvas bridge shelters that proved too flimsy to withstand the pressures of diving with it erected. They were too time consuming to try and take down in actual war time conditions.
The British, having been at war with Germany for two years, taught their American cousins a lot of practical things about actual submarine warfare including the development and use of the metal chariot bridge surround that could remain in place while diving and withstand those pressures. Soon almost all U.S. submarines had this revision installed.
Once these subs reached Europe, the British, to avoid confusing their L-class submarines with the American L-class, required the Americans to paint an "A" in front of their numbers. All combatants still wore hull identification at this time. In later conflicts all ID was painted out so an enemy could not keep track of sub movements, this is even done to this day.
These two submarines are moored to a monitor-type tender that is also not identified but could possibly be the USS Tonopah (BM-8). Three sailors are standing on the tender's deck. There also seem to be at least two people each on the submarine's decks.
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Ric Hedman & David Johnston
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