L-class
USS L-1
USS L-1 riding at anchor while on sea trials, March or April 1916, probably off Provincetown, Mass. A low-lying shore line with houses can be seen in the background, reminiscent of Cape Cod. The L-class were the first US submarines designed to carry a 3"/23 caliber deck gun but it wasn't until the L-9 that guns were installed during construction. The L-1 through L-8 were retrofitted later with the gun. As you can see the L-1 has no gun in this early photo.
USS L-2
USS L-2 (SS-41) in an unknown location, approximately 1918. In July of 1918 while patrolling in the Irish Sea, a large explosion rocked the L-2 about 25 feet on her beam. A torpedo aimed at her by a German U-boat had apparently detonated prematurely. A periscope was sighted so the L-2 immediately submerged and made an unsuccessful attempt to ram the submarine. with her primitive sonar she couldn't track the U-boat well under water, plus the U-boat had superior under water speed. Later it was suspected that a U-boat had indeed fired on the L-2, but another U-boat, the U-65, was unknowingly in the way and was hit by the torpedo meant for L-2. Some time later when the L-2 was dry docked her hull plating was noted to be heavily dented from the close by explosion. The U-65 never returned to her port.
USS L-3
L-3 with sailing yachts, early in her career, approximately 1916.
L-3 is seen here on July 18, 1917 at the Philadelphia Navy Yard undergoing a pre-deployment up-keep. The US entered WW I on April 6, 1917 and submarines were to be deployed to the Azores and Ireland to patrol the waters and deny access and free reign to the German U-Boats. The L-3 was to leave New London in company with other L class submarines and a submarine tender, first to the Azores and then on to Bantry Bay on the Irish west coast. The submarines made eight to ten day patrols in waters around Ireland, patrols lengths which severly taxed the crews and equipment. In the background can be seen the submarine K-5 with the number 37 painted on her conning tower fairwater. There are at least four more submarines in the photo but they can't be identified. A vintage motorcycle is parked on the pier.
