S-16

S-16 is waterborne for the first time after sliding down the ways at the Lake Torpedo Boat Company yard in Bridgeport, CT., December 23, 1919. The yard workers and the ship's crew were obviously in high spirits for the holiday season as the boat is decked out in Christmas trees and a sign hung from the bow that says "Merry Christmas To All". Another year of fitting out work remained for the Lake personnel, and the boat was commissioned into the U.S. Navy on December 17, 1920.

Photo in the private collection of David Johnston

USS S-16 (SS-121) in the process of tying up to a pier at Cebu City on Cebu Island, P.I. January 5, 1923. Note 4th man from left. He appears to be tossing a heaving line to the pier.

64 years later, webmaster David Johnston was on the crew of the USS Darter (SS-576) when she tied up to the very same pier in Cebu on May 21, 1987. Port visits in Cebu were rare for a USN submarine in the 1980's, and it generated a lot of interest from the local community. Petty Officer Johnston enjoyed his visit there, and was thrilled to be able to see the Mactan Shrine through the periscope on the shore near Lapu-Lapu City as the Darter departed Cebu. The Mactan Shrine commemorates the site of the Battle of Mactan in 1521, which resulted in the death of famous explorer Ferdinand Magellan.

Photo submitted by EMC(SS) John Clear, USN (Ret.)

S-16 (far left) moored in a nest with five O-class submarines at Coco Solo, Panama, circa 1925. Left to right: S-16, O-8 (SS-69), O-10 (SS-71), O-7 (SS-68), O-9 (SS-70), and lastly O-6 (SS-67). Most of the boats have temporary canvas awnings rigged over their bridges and torpedo room hatches in an attempt to keep the ever-present tropical rains out of the open hatches.

Photo provided by MMCM(SS) Rick Larson, USN (Ret.)

A closeup of the photo above, showing a lone crewman of the S-16 sitting casually on her forward deck. African Americans had been long serving in the USN, and prior to President Wilson's segregation of the Navy they could serve in any rate they qualified for. After segregation they were dealt a raw deal and new recruits could only serve as Officer's Stewards or as a Ship's Cook.

Despite this restriction, they continued to serve honorably and to the best of their ability and their service is being honored by the construction of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the USS Doris Miller (CVN-81). CVN-81 is named after Navy Cross awardee Mess Attendant 2nd Class Doris Miller of Waco, Texas, famous for his machine gun defense of the battleship West Virginia (BB-48) at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

Photo provided by MMCM(SS) Rick Larson, USN (Ret.)

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