S-25 moored at St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, spring of 1924. Laundry and bedding has been hung to dry over the radio aerial wires over the forward deck. Signal flags are fluttering in the breeze from the radio mast halyards amidships.
Photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman.
Close up of the photo above. The man just to the right of the "5" is drawing water with a bucket from over the side. Other crew are relaxing in the shade. There are other periscopes visible behind the S-25, indicating the presence of other submarines of the squadron.
Photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman.
A close up of the forward deck in the Virgin Islands photo. There were no washers or dryers in these days, so laundry had to be handwashed once they arrived in port. Typically it was done topside on the pier so that the clothing articles could be properly scrubbed on tables. The feather mattresses were brought topside to air out and dry up the sweat of the sleeping men.
