This class of 16 submarines were longer, heavier, and faster developments of the preceding Porpoise class. They also carried two additional torpedo tubes in the aft torpedo room, for a total of eight.
The first six boats were authorized in Fiscal Year 1936 appropriations (the Salmon group), with construction of three going to EB, two to Portsmouth, and one to Mare Island. Six more boats of the class were authorized in FY-37 (the Sargo group) with the same spread of construction yards. Four more boats were authorized in FY-38 (the Seadragon group). They were split evenly between EB and Portsmouth. All 16 boats had the same performance specifications and armament, and were very similar in external appearance. They will all be considered to be one class here on PigBoats.COM.
The Navy had encountered some problems with the all-electric drive on the Porpoise class. Serious issues with flashover on the main motors while under load, and the loss of 360 horsepower in transmission through the electrical system temporarily soured the Navy on all-electric drive. Accordingly, the first 12 boats of the Salmon/Sargo class had a new "composite" drive arrangement where two engines were connected to the propeller shafts and two drove only generators. While successful, the composite drive arrangement was cramped, complicated, and difficult to maintain. The four Seadragons reverted to all-electric drive, the issues that the force had experienced with the Porpoises having been largely corrected by that time.
These boats were in the thick of the fight against the Japanese from the first day of the war. Four of them (marked by a *) and their brave crews were lost in action and are considered to be "on eternal patrol".
Note... many early photos of these boats will show them with large "S" identifiers painted on their bows and fairwaters. These were used to identify the boats visually while on the surface. They were NOT their names or designations. The use of these identifiers was common on the fleet boats, but faded out in favor of hull numbers in 1938 because their use became confusing.
While generally very similar in external appearance, there were a lot of variations in these boats over the years, especially once WWII started. For a thorough explanation of these changes, please take a few minutes to read this article.
Salmon (SS-182)
USN photo NH 19-N-19930, from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.
Salmon on her launch day, June 12, 1937 at the Electric Boat Co., Groton CT. At the very tip of the bow is a ring style towing fairlead, or "bullnose" above the level of the deck. The Sargo and Seadragon groups had this bullnose faired into the tip of the bow, providing a visual clue in identifying the boats. The officer standing on the viewing platform is unknown, but it may have been the Salmon's first commanding officer, LT Marvin M. Stephens. In a few hours this platform and every available level surface would be covered with people. Ship launchings were a popular event in the 1930's, as it was a visual demonstration that the nation was bouncing back from the depths of the Great Depression.
