General K-class photos

This snapshot of a K-class submarine surfacing from a dive was taken in a harbor. The date is early in the K-class careers, probably 1915-1916. There is very little to say where this action is taking place but the structure on the right suggests that this may be San Francisco Bay and the building to the right is Fort Point over which the Golden Gate Bridge is built.

Four K class submarines were built on the west coast. The K-3 at Union Iron Works, San Francisco, the K-4 at Seattle Construction and Drydock in Seattle and the K-7 and K-8, again, at Union Iron Works. The suggestion that this may be the K-3 comes from a few photos showing the K-3 with taller periscope shears plating as seen here. However, the external configuration for the boats can change over time.

We'd be happy if someone could positively identify the background and the boat.

Photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman

These are K-class submarines moored on the south side of the 135th Street piers in New York City as part of the Atlantic Fleet Presidential Review for President Wilson on May 10, 1915. The right-hand submarine is probably the K-6 based on periscope sheers architecture. There actually four submarines in this photo but of the two other there are only portions of the after superstructure visible on the left side of the photo. Also on the left the cage masts and two of the three funnels of the battleship USS Rhode Island (Battleship No. 17) can be seen.

Seen through the bridge structure of the right-hand boat you can see the large sign on the hillside proclaiming "Palisades Amusement Park". Underneath it says "Surf Bathing" and half hidden on the left side of the conning tower fairwater at the river's edge is a sign that says "Warner's Sugar".

On the right side of the photo a person can be just seen walking down the gangway carrying an old fashioned leather satchel. On the gangway between the two boats a sailor is seen walking carrying something unidentifiable in his left hand. He seems totally unconcerned about walking on this 2" by 12" plank with no railings between the boats.

Photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman.

Four K-class submarines, the K-1, K-2, K-5, and K-6, in no particular order, moored at the 135th Street piers in New York City as part of the Atlantic Fleet Presidential Review for President Wilson on May 10, 1915. The crowds curious about these underwater craft take time to look them over.

Library of Congress photo.

In another view of the 1915 Presidential Review in New York City, K-1, K-2, K-5, and K-6 can be seen in the center moored across the pier from the USS Tonopah (Monitor No. 8). The old monitor was acting as a tender for the four submarines. The USS Rhode Island (Battleship No. 17) looks rather stately anchored in the background. She was a Virginia-class battleship, with the unusual double stacked turrets that contained two 12"/40 caliber guns in the lower half, and two 8"/40 caliber guns in the upper half. In addition, in the right background is a very old (Spanish-American War era) Amphitrite-class monitor.

Library of Congress photo.