Dolphin 1933 Portsmouth exterior photos

Notes

After the completion of the 1932 Post-Shakedown Availability, Dolphin made a voyage to San Diego between October and December of 1932. She remained there for three months, operating with elements of the Pacific Fleet. She made the long transit back to Portsmouth in March 1933 where she went into a second and final PSA. Several significant changes were made during this yard period which lasted until August, 1933. These exterior changes are outlined below in a series of 14 photographs, all taken on July 5, 1933.

The Dolphin fore deck as viewed from the bridge. The location is just outside the dry dock at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Picture was taken July 5, 1933.

The heavy dual cables on either side of the photo were a combination of medium range radio aerial and mine clearance cable. The lower cable was the aerial and it can be seen connecting to a pressure-proof fitting right at the forward edge of the bridge fairwater.

This heavy cable was supported on the forward and after decks by tri-pod masts and in the center by rectangular stanchions on either side of the bridge fairwater. At the very top of the picture can be seen the much thinner long-range aerial which is supported in the center by the extendable radio mast.

In the lower center of the photo is a mushroom-shaped ventilation valve. It closed off a ventilation intake that serviced the forward half of the boat.

Seen in the lower left of the photo is the under deck storage for one of the ship's launches. To launch the boat the deck covering would be removed, and the boat hoisted out and placed in the water by the torpedo loading derrick. On deck a dungaree-clad Chief Petty Officer can be seen talking with another person, probably a civilian yard worker. Though Chiefs had dress uniforms they had no working uniforms (Khaki) at this time and just wore dungarees the same as lower rates, just adding their round top combination hat.

US Navy Photo Contributed by Roger Torgeson

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