F-4

Image courtesy of the Maritime Museum of San Diego

The USS F-4 backing away from her slip in Honolulu Harbor in this colorized version of this photo. The date is unknown but this is pretty much as she would have looked on the morning of March 25, 1915 when she left for her last dive taking all of her crew aboard to their deaths. Since the submarine is backing this means she is operating on battery power alone since the propellers were direct drive from the engines in one direction only, ahead.

The Quarantine Dock is seen in the background with a ship and a barge. This is believed to be the Interred German Cruiser SMS Geier. The barges are probably delivering coal to the Geier. Several other vessels are anchored to the left of the Quarantine dock.

On top of the conning tower the helmsman's station seen to the left of the forward periscope. It is unmanned so steering must be being handled from the Control Room inside the submarine. The man at the bow has a large deck wrench. Probably used to secure deck hatches. The man forward of the conning tower is probably checking that all is secure. A larger group of men gather on the aft deck in preparation to dropping below through the engine room hatch.

It was common practice with these submarines to actually submerge in the harbor and travel out the channel with just the periscopes showing. Periscope depth is reported to have been fifteen feet. This is how the F-4 was last seen by the F-2 before she went to the bottom with all hands.

Image courtesy of the Maritime Museum of San Diego

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