S-43 in dry dock, Pearl Harbor, with the S-21 (SS-126) behind, circa 1931. Torpedo tube outer doors are open as well as various deck hatches. The barge seems to be office or berthing for the subs in the dry dock.
Photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman.
S-43 in dry dock, Pearl Harbor circa 1931. The rudders and stern planes have been removed to allow removal of the propellers. A crewman is standing in the upper rudder aperture. A good sense of scale for the size of an S-class sub can be had from this image. Behind and in front of the man are the control rods for the rudder (behind) and stern diving planes (front).
Photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman.
This photo was taken at the same time as the one above. The rudders and stern planes have been removed to allow removal of the propellers. A tarp has been hung over a "soft patch" that has been removed from the hull to enable the removal and installation of equipment to the motor room.
Photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman.
Extra keel blocks and parts removed from the S-43 are laying in the bottom of the dry dock. At the top right we have pointed out the shadow from one of the propellers that has been removed. If you check the light and dark markings on the blocks you can see that it matched the photo below. To the lower left is one of the stern planes or maybe it is the upper rudder. Just above that near the foot of the ladder may be the second propeller. Too indistinct to be certain.
Photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman.
One of the two propellers removed from the S-43 while in dry dock. See the above image for the dock location of this propeller. The light and dark markings on the stack of blocks match the photo above.
Photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman.
In a later photo of the same drydocking, the stern planes and rudders seem to have been replaced. Several crew members can be seen in the photo.
Photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman.
S-43 at Pearl Harbor circa 1931 with three sailors posing around the hatch that leads to the engine room. In the background to the right is another submarine and it appears to be one of the early V-boats, V-1 thru V-3. The man on the right appears to be a pipe smoker as there is a bowl of a pipe sticking out of his jumper pocket.
Photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman.
Three of the S-43 crew on deck as the submarine returns to Pearl Harbor after some "daily ops", approximately 1931. The third man is directly behind the man on the left, only part of his head can be seen.
Photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman.
Four views of S-43 underway off Hawaii, circa 1929-1930. There is a moderate sea running, and in some pictures you can see water breaking over the deck. All of the pictures give good details of the teak slats used to form the sub's deck, and the numerous topside deck lockers, most used to store mooring lines and torpedo handling gear.
Photos in the private collection of Ric Hedman.
Three views of S-43 underway in a blustery San Francisco Bay, nearing the end of a major overhaul and refit, January 24, 1944. Her external appearance has been significantly altered, receiving a new deck gun, a rebuilt conning tower fairwater, a new aft superstructure, and electronic improvements. The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and the Naval Station at Alameda can be seen in the background of the photos.
U.S. Navy photos.
The next two photos show an alongside view of S-43 at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA., January 26, 1944. She has returned from her post-overhaul trials and is finishing up last minute changes and alterations. The boat has received a rebuilt conning tower fairwater with a deck for a 20 mm antiaircraft gun, a rebuilt aft superstructure, installation of SJ and SD radars, and air conditioning among other improvements. Her 4"/ 50 caliber gun was changed to a 3"/50 caliber Mk 17 gun so that the larger gun could be used on a fleet submarine.
U.S. Navy photo.
A photo of the same yard period as the photo above, with this view from the port quarter. The entire aft deck has been rebuilt, with a hump that covers the new larger, water-cooled mufflers for her diesel engines. In the background on the right is the USS Sailfish (SS-192), and forward of S-43 is the USS Shad (SS-235). At the head of the pier is a covered barge used for berthing and offices for the boat's crews while in overhaul.
