Introduction    1.

1 .    Introduction

The Salvage Officer confronted with the task of retrieving
a sunken or stranded submarine will need to draw heavily
upon previous submarine salvage operations. Most likely he
will not have had personal experience in this field, and will
therefore need background information which will prepare him
for his particular salvage problem and provide a basis for a
modus operandi.

Every submarine salvage operation has different circumstances,
depending upon the size of the submarine, its position,
flooded condition and depth, and the type of bottom on which
it rests. The review of past submarine salvage operations
given in the Appendices to this manual, may assist the
Salvage Officer in estimating the requirements for his job
and in anticipating some of the problems that may arise.

There have been approximately twenty three submarine lasses of
non-combatant nature in the US NAl/Y. Of these, ten occurred
in such deep water that salvage could not be attempted. Out
of the remaining eleven, six were in shallow water or under
conditions that made salvage relatively simple; however, of
the other five submarine salvage attempts in deep water, four
were successful.

The first operation was the raising of USS F-4 off Honolulu
harbor in 1915. The submarine had to be brought up from a
depth of 305 feet; to date, the deepest salvage ever com¬
pleted. Divers had to work at depths far exceeding the
limits which had been reached in that day. However, in
comparison with later salvage operations, it must be
remembered that F-4 was small, displacing only 400 tons, and
considerably easier to handle than S-51 at 876 tons and
SQUALUS at 1450 tons.

The submarine service was not prepared for such disasters as
F-4. The deepest a diver had gone was 274 feet and little
was known about the effects of decompression sickness or
other physiological aspects of diving. There were no rescue
or salvage vessels fitted out for recovering crews or
submarines.

F-4's salvage force consisted of chartered tugs, two decked-
over scows with improvised windlasses for lifting, and a
diving lighter with a recompression chamber. The method of
bringing the submarine into shallower water was by sweeping
wire cables and chain slings under the hull, lifting with
the scows, and then towing until the submarine grounded.

A second purchase would then be taken on the hoisting cables
and the process repeated.

1-1

1-2

1-3

The operation was attended by all of the adverse elements
normally associated with underwater salvage; failure of
equipment, accidents, and bad weather conditions slowed the
job considerably. After weeks of lifting and towing, the
wreck was finally hauled into shallow wgter, at which time
a sudden onset'of heavy swells carried away all of the lifting
slings and severely damaged the submarine. The action of the
sea had sawed the cables and chain slings nearly through the
hull, making further lift by the scows impracticable. It
was feared that the hull would be cut entirely in two, or
that the bow section would sag out of the slings and ground
in the harbor. The first submersible pontoons were designed
and built to suit the condition of F-4, and to bring her to
the surface without further damage.

Perhaps the most significant salvage of a submarine was that
of S-51 . Prior to this achievement by the NAVY, an
unsuccessful attempt had been made to salve S-5.

The salvage problems in these two cases were quite similar
as to depth of water, size of the submarine, character of
the bottom, availability of qualified divers, and the
availability of a suitable salvage vessel and other salvage
equipment. S-51 was completely flooded, whereas S-5 had only
one main compartment flooded with little if any water in
the other compartments. S-5 was rigged for dive, all
compartments were intact, and all bulkheads secured. S-51
was rigged for surface, the hull had been opened by collision,
and none of the bulkheads was watertight. Both sites were
exposed to the open sea, and although S-51 had somewhat
better protection from winds than S-5, this difference in
exposure was not great insofar as its effect on salvage
operations was concerned.

The salvage of S-5 was undertaken with a preconceived notion
that the submersible pontoons, which were available in
sufficient quantity, could not be used in the open sea.

This assumption apparently extended to any form of external
lifting force and led to a salvage plan which included only
self-lift and required removal of the water from all com¬
partments and large tanks. There were no air salvage
connections, so it was necessary to provide spill pipes and
air connections for the compartments that were to be
dewatered. In preparing the compartments for blowing down,
explosives, which were used for cutting and for removal of
hatches, caused damage that eventually led to abandonment of
the salvage attempt. Utilizing hindsight, it seems clear
that the decision to attempt the salvage without any external
lift was responsible for failure to recover the submarine.

UJhen the salvage began, S-5 was in the most favorable
condition of any of the five deepwater salvages that the
US NAVY has undertaken. In the other four cases, external

1-4

1-5

lift was included in the salvage plan and greatly reduced
the amount of work required. External lift may have been
the factor that made the difference between success and
failure in these attempts.

The S-51 salvage operation is of gre„at interest because:

1.    There was a we11-conceived salvage plan.

2.    Problems encountered were diagnosed and
overcome as they occurred.

3.    The salvage plan was adjusted as better
information became available, and as
difficulties were encountered.

4.    An excellent technical report was prepared
covering all features of the operation, with
particular emphasis on the difficulties.

5.    The salvage force was at all times confident
of success even though many things seemed to
be going wrong. This confidence is present
in all successful salvage operations, and
even the most discouraging catastrophies do

not affect it. This confidence or determination
to succeed is the essential part of any salvage
plan .

By contrast, the raising of S-51 proved to be a valuable,
experience to the US NAVY. Tunneling under the submarine,
using water jets supplied by a 2-l/2-inch firehose, created
problems for the divers. These centered about the handling
of the hose and nozzle when subjected to pressure sufficient
to cut and wash away the soil on the bottom. This brought
about the development of a balanced washing nozzle that
speeded the tunneling required for rigging of slings.

During the winter, when salvage was suspended, a new under¬
water cutting torch was developed, as well as a more efficient
underwater light.

For the first time, actual experience was gained in
calculating the suction effect of the bottom, and determin¬
ing breakout force needed to overcome it. The big 80-ton
pontoons were found to be extremely difficult to control when
placed alongside S-51, and again, when they were on the
surface knocking about in rough seas. This experience,
described in the S-51 salvage report, proved valuable later
when S-4 salvors prepared for their job. The pontoons were
modified to make them easier to handle, based primarily on
the S-51 report.

A little more than eighteen months after S-51 was salved, on
17 December 1927, another submarine disaster struck the US
NAVY .

1-6

S-4 sank off Provincetown, Cape Cod, after colliding with a
Coast Guard destroyer. The NAVY decided to salve the
submarine even though the salvors were faced with the prospect
of conducting diving operations in midwinter. The rescue
vessel FALCON and many of the divers who had worked on 5-51
were on hand for the job, and, consequently, the salvage work
proceeded at a good rate. In the beginning, the divers had
problems with air lines freezing, which caused particles of
ice and snow to fly about in their helmets. This was
corrected by the invention and installation of an air
conditioning plant that heated the divers's air.

In many respects the raising of S-4 was similar to that of
5-51. Both submarines had been sunk through collision which
opened the pressure hull and flooded compartments that could
not be sealed. In both cases tunneling was required to
permit reeving chain slings, and the raising was done by
dewatering compartments and using submersible pontoons.
However, aside from the weather, the S-4 operation was easier.
The excellent salvage report of S-51 and the availability of
the same salvage ships, officers, crew, and divers speeded
the work. The water was shallower and protected from the
open sea; the new washing nozzle cut tunneling time from days
to hours; the sea floor was soft and porous, and, con¬
sequently, the suction effect was negligible when breaking
the wreck free of the bottom. The submersible pontoons were
modified to the condition described in Chapter 5. This is
the only salvage of a US submarine which was so meticulously
planned that nothing serious seems to have gone wrong. It is
an excellent example of the value of detailed knowledge of
previous salvage operations.

The S-4 disaster occasioned a serious review by the NAVY of
problems concerning submarine safety and personnel rescue.
There resulted many innovations, mostly in the field of
rescue devices. The tragedy of not being able to rescue
trapped men at the shallow depth of 102 feet spurred the
development of the Tflomsen escape lung and the (YlcCann rescue
chamber. This latter device was to save thirty three men of
USS SQUALUS, trapped in 240 feet of water. Also, salvage
air connections were installed on all compartments, main
ballast tanks, and fuel oil tanks.

Other maritime nations were not without their submarine
accidents as is illustrated in Table 1-1. At the time of
the S-4 sinking, Britain listed fourteen submarines sunk,
while France had suffered eight losses. The worst attrition
rate for submarines occurred during a 24-day period in
1939. First, USS SQUALUS sank on 23 (flay; eight days later,

HITS THETIS went down followed by the French submarine
PHENIX.

1-7

\

Unlike S-51 and S-4, SQIJALIJS iuas raised in three stages, the
first tiuo of which were accomplished without any attempt to
remove water from the flooded compartments. All lifting
forces were supplied by pontoons, and ballast tanks were
blown through salvage air fittings. For the third and final
lift, water was removed from the main compartments and the
number of pontoons reduced.

The interesting features of this operation were:

1.    The salvage was accomplished in three stages.

2.    Control pontoons were used to limit the distance
the ship was lifted.

3.    l\lo water was removed from the main compartments
while the submarine was in deep water.

4.    When SQIJALIJS was brought to shallow water (9 □
feet), and the main air induction valve closed by external
gagging, the compartments were pumped down. To assist the
pumps against a 90-foot head of water, air pressure equal
to the sea pressure was applied to the compartments. In
this way, much work which had been done on the previous
salvage operations to make the compartments tight against
internal pressure was avoided.

5.    The salvage plan adopted for SQIJALUS was to
minimize divers's time on the bottom in the initial deep
site. Of particular interest is the fact that the sub¬
marine was rigged with pontoons and actually raised off the
bottom after only 31 man-hours of diving. Although this
attempt failed because of lack of control, the additional
time that would have obviated this deficiency would not
have exceeded one man-hour.

6.    Only two locations were used for pontoon slings
while the submarine was in deep water. Since the hull of
SQUALUS was clear of the bottom at one of these locations,
it was necessary to provide only one passage for slings
through the mud. For this passage a lance was devised
which was safer and required much less work by the diver
than the previou's tunneling method.

In the Appendices are two reports of British submarine
salvage operations which reflect a different approach for
recovering a wreck. These reports describe the techniques
for lifting by a specially designed "lift ship" which
literally hauls the submarine up from the bottom by cables
at the surface.

1-8

HMS THETIS was salved employing a lift method not previously
used and it required finding a suitable vessel to accomplish
the task .

In almost all cases of submarine salvage, specialized
equipment and material were designed specifically for the job
A notable exception was the work on S-4 which was undertaken
very shortly after the salvage of S-51. Generally, after each
major undertaking, the salvage force was disbanded and the
specialized equipment put in storage. It has been found to
be too costly to maintain a large manned force in anticipation
of a submarine salvage job. In salvage, time is rarely of
the utmost importance; the rescue aspects in such an event
have normally been concluded before the salvage force moves in.

It is difficult to forecast submarine accidents, as it is
with any other disaster. The time between the sinking of S-4
and SQUALUS was twelve years. During World War II, some
fifty two submarines failed to return from patrols; possibly
some small portion of these were due to accidents and not
through enemy action. However, if such wartime accidents did
occur, they must be few in number judging from the evidence
available since the war. Of the four US NAVY submarine
losses fallowing World War II, it is interesting to note that
all went down in water too deep for salvage. USS COCHINO
sank in 840 feet of water, USS STICKLEBACK was sunk in 9000
feet of water. USS THRESHER was lost in 8400 feet of water,
and USS SCORPION in 10,000 feet of water.

What can be anticipated in water depths for a submarine
salvage operation? The majority of submarine accidents occur
in or near congested water routes to ports. If failure of
equipment is involved, the casualty will usually occur during
the first few hours underway or during the initial trim dive.
These conditions tend to make the locale of a submarine
casualty coincide with the shallower ocean areas.

The limiting depth from which a submarine can be salved can
only be expressed in terms of the latest operational tech¬
niques in diving by men, or submersibles, and the operational
availability of a lifting force to be applied to the sub¬
marine. Pontoons, lifting slings, or a water-blowing system
must be attached or applied to the submarine in some manner
or combination, if it is to be raised. As the depth of the
sunken submarine increases, the feasibility of surface-
supported diving or lifting with cables decreases. At the
present time, divers still must be used to seal up
compartments and to cut tunnels for necessary pontoon slings.
Deep sea diving, supported from a surface salvage vessel,
is the only method there is at this time for performing
underwater work in salvage operations.

1-9

1-10



The current experimentation and research in advanced diving
systems employing pressurized habitats, lock-out saturated
diving techniques, submersibles with diver lock-out
capabilities, and the various combinations possible for deep
diving will initiate some radical changes in future oper¬
ations. The Salvage Officer will, pf course, employ the
latest operational techniques available to him.

The deep sea diver today depends directly on the surface
ship to supply his breathing gas, communications and under¬
water tools. He is limited in depth to about 250 feet if
breathing air, or 3S0 feet if he is on a helium-oxygen
mixture. The new technique of saturation diving using the
Personnel Transfer Capsule is extending diver depths to 600
feet and more. There are other limitations in diving, other
than the physiological ones. Currents, even moderate ones,
can drag a diver off his feet if he is in deep water, with
the long scope of his life line and air hose being affected
by this force. The weather conditions on the surface may
prohibit diving because of the danger of the tending ship
dragging anchor, or the surging of the vessel causing lines
to become fouled. Divers working in deep water will have
their time on the bottom shortened and will have to undergo
extended decompression periods. This will necessitate a
large manning requirement in order to rotate divers safely
so as to keep the operation going and take advantage of good
weather.

A Salvage Officer can begin to appreciate the involvement of
personnel and time in performing an underwater salvage job
by reviewing the operations discussed in the Appendices.

Apply these experiences to a different salvage problem, such
as one in 350 feet of water with a hard clay and rock bottom.
How long would a diver be able to work with a lance in
washing a tunnel? UJhat are the risks involved when divers
enter compartments to seal them? UJhat is available to
commence such a salvage job under these conditions? The
purpose of this submarine salvage manual is to provide
answers to some of these questions and to help the Salvage
Officer in estimating his job and planning for the successful
recovery of a submarine.

1-11

TABLE 1-1

ACCIDENTAL SUBMARINE SINKINGS SINCE 1904

1-12

Date

Country

Submarine

Depth

(Ft)

Men

Lost

Salved

Geographical Location and Cause

March 18,
1904

U.K.

A -1

42

11

yes

Collision; rammed at periscope depth
by the SS BERWICK CASTLE off Nab
Lightship, Spithead, England.

June 20,
1904

Russia

DELFIN

*

26

yes

Flooded via open hatch while
trimming on the surface off
Kronstadt, Russia, by wash from
passing steamer.

1905

France

ANGUILLE

*

none

yes

Gasoline explosion.

Dune 8,
1905

U.K .

A - 8

180

14

yes

Flooded via open hatch while making
high speed on surface; off Plymouth,
England .

July 6,
1905

F ranee

FARFADET

100

all

yes

Elooded via open hatch while diving
off Bizerte, Tunisia.

Oct. 16,
1905

U.K.

A-4

*

*

n o

Rammed off Plymouth, England.

Aug. 13,
1906

France

ESTURGEON

*

none

yes

Sunk at dock at Saigon.

Oct. 16,
1906

France

LUTIN

110

13

yes

Flooded via leaky hull plates,
after end; lost off Bizerte, Tunisia.

Oan. 11,
1907

France

ALGER IEN

40

none

yes

Sunk during absence of crew because
of carelessness in mooring.

April 26,
1909

Italy

EOCA

*

13

yes

Flooded after internal explosion.

June 12,
1909

Russia

KA1Y1BALA

*

20

n o

Rammed by battleship RESTISLAU
while running on surface; cut in
half and sunk.

* Unknown

TABLE 1-1 (Cant)

1-13

Date

Country

Submarine

Depth

(Ft)

fYlen

Lost

Salved

Geographical Location and Cause

July 14,
1909

U.K.

C-ll

*

13

n o

Sunk in collision with SS EDDISTONE
off Douer, England.

April 15,
1910

Japan

No. 6

*

14

no

Flooded via open ventilation valve
during deep dive.

lYlay 26,
1910

France

PLUl/IOSE

*

26

*

Collided with mail steamer PAS DE
CALAIS in English Channel.

June 1,
1910

Russia

FOREL

*

*

yes

Sunk while being towed.

Oan . 17,
1911

Germany

U-3

30

3

yes

Flooded while at mooring in Kiel docks.
fYlen escaped via torpedo tubes.

Lifted by crane.

Feb. 2,
1912

U.K .

A-3

66

14

yes

Rammed by gun boat HAZARD off Isle
of LUight while running submerged.

June 8,
1912

France

Y/ENDEIY1I-

AIRE

350

24

n o

Broke surface ahead of battleship
ST. LOUIS during maneuvers off Cape
de 1a Hague, France.

Oct. 4,
1912

U.K.

B-2

*

15

n o

lilhile running on surface at night
off Dover; was rammed and sunk by
liner AIY1ERIKA; probably cut in two.

1913

Russia

1Y1IN0GA

*

none

yes

123-ton. Sunk near Libau in the
Baltic Sea. Cause unknown-pulled to
surface 12 hours after sinking.

June 8,
1913

U.K .

E-5

*

3

*

Flooded following internal explosion;
sunk.

Dec. 10,
1913

U.K .

C-14

*

none

yes

Running on surface in Squadron.
Rammed by lighter and sunk.

* Unknown

TABLE 1-1 (Cont)

1-14

Date

Country

Submarine

Depth

(Ft)

Men

Lost

Salved

Geographical Location and Cause

1914

Nether¬

lands

0-5

*

1

yes

Sunk at Scheldt Quay, Nether¬
lands ■

Jan . 16,
1914

U.K.

A-7

150

11

no

Failed to come to the surface
after submerged run in Uihitesand
Bay off Plymouth, England.

July 8,
1914

F ranee

CALYPSO

500

3

no

Collision with submarine CIRCE
while cruising on the surface;
due to jammed rudder.

S ep t.14,
1914

Australia

A E-1

*

all

no

Failed to return from training
di ve.

lYlarch 25 ,
1915

U.S.

F-4

306

22

yes

Flooded; failure of hull plates
during dive off Honolulu.

A ug.8,
1916

U.K.

E - 4

66

all

no

Collision with the E-41 off
Harwich, England.

Aug . 8 ,
1916

U.K .

E - 41

60

none

yes

Collision with the E-4.

□ ct. 10,
1916

Denmark

DYKKEREN

28

1

yes

Sunk off Copenhagen after colli¬
sion with a Norwegian merchant¬
man abaft conning tower.

Ban.29,
1917

U.K.

K-1 3

55

49

yes-

and recom¬
missioned
as K-22

Flooded; boiler room ventilators
open during test dive in the
Gareloch, Scotland.

March 19,
1917

Germany

UB-25

*

16

yes

Rammed and sunk with DDV-26.

* Unknown

TABLE 1-1 (Cont)

1-15

Date

Country

Submarine

Depth

(Ft)

lYlen

Lost

Salved

Geographical Location and Cause

Sept.14,
1917

U.S.

D-2

30

none

yes

Flooded at dockside via "slow
leaks" into machinery compart¬
ment; New London, Conn.

S ept.17 ,
1917

G ermany

UC-45

*

*

yes-
and re¬
commis¬
sioned

Foundered in North Sea as result
of material failure.

Nov.18,
1917

U.K.

K-1

*

none

*

Sank in North Sea after colli¬
sion with H.IY1. sub K-4.

Dec.6,
1917

G ermany

UC-69

*

11

*

Sank in English Channel after
collision with U-96.

Dec.7 ,
1917

Germany

UB- 84

*

19

yes-
an d re¬
commis¬
sioned as
training
boat

Sunk in Baltic Sea following
collision.

Dec.17,
1917

U.S.

F-l

6 □ □

19

n o

Collision; port side abaft the
main hatch; off Point Loma,Calif.
Collided with F-3.

1917

U.K.

H-5

*

all

no

Collision; rammed by British
merchant vessel, mistaken for a
German submarine.

Ban.31,
1918

U.K.

K-17

*

42

no

Sunk by collision with British
cruiser FEARLESS off Firth of
Forth. Scotland.

* Unknown

TABLE 1-1 (Cont)

1-16

Date

Country

Submarine

Depth

(Ft)

Men

Lost

Salved

Geographical Location and Cause

Jan.31 ,
1918

U.K.

K-4

*

50

no

Sunk by collision with British
SS K-6 off Firth of Forth,
Scotland.

Feb . 18 ,
1918

Russia

IGOR

*

*

*

Foundered in the ice off Revel,
Estonia.

March 15,
1918

Germany

UB-106

*

35

yes-
and re¬
commis¬
sioned

Sunk in Baltic Sea through mate¬
rial casualty.

April 29,
1918

France

PRA IRIAL

*

*

*

Sunk by collision with merchant¬
man off Le Havre, France.

A ug.2,
1918

France

FLOREAL

*

*

*

Sunk by collision off Saloniki,
Greece.

Sept. 5,
1918

G ermany

UC-91

*

*

yes-
and re¬
commis¬
sioned

Sunk by collision with German
steamer ALEXANDER UIOERMANN .

Oct.21,
1918

G ermany

UB-89

*

7

yes-

surren¬

dered

after

armistice

Sunk by collision with German
cruiser FRANKFURT.

July 3D,
1919

U.S.

G-2

80

3

yes

Flooded via leaky hatch cover in
heavy seas; Long Island Sound.
Salved by blowing apart, 1962.

* Unknown

TABLE 1-1 (Cont)

1-17

Date

Country

Submarine

(Ft)

Lost

Salved

Geographical Location and Cause

March 12 ,
1920

U . S .

H-l

50

4

no

Grounded during storm near Point
Redondo, Magdalena Bay, Columbia.
Later sank during salvage
operations.

S ep t.1,
1920

U.S.

S-5

194

none

no

During dive, flooded via open
main induction; off the Delaware
Capes. Stern was raised and crew
escaped through hole cut in stern.
Later attempts to salve were a
failure.

Jan.2 0,
1921

U.K.

K-5

*

57

n o

Cause unknown; 120 miles S. LU. of
Scilly Islands while practicing
an attack on the Atlantic Fleet.

Sept.26 ,
1921

U.S.

R-6

32

2

yes

Flooded via tube; failure of
interlocking mach,; alongside
her tender, CAmDEN, San Pedro
Harbor, Calif. Raised in 17 days.

Oct.

1921

Nether¬

lands

0-8

*

none

yes

After section filled with water
and sank during her fitting-out
period in the basin at Den Helder,
Netherlands.

Dec.7,
1921

U.S .

S- 48

67

none

yes

Flooded via manhole cover from
[Y1BT #5, during trials, Long
Island Sound off Bridgeport,
Conn.; escape was made via
torpedo tube.

* Unknown

TABLE 1-1 (Cont)

1-18

Date

Country

Submarine

(Ft)

Lost

Salved

Geographical Location and Cause

March 23,
1922

U.K.

H-42

3000

26

n o

Collision with destroyer; was
rammed and sunk after it broke
surface ahead of VERSATILE off
Gibraltar.

Duly 17,
1923

u.s.

S - 3 8

102

none

yes

In Anchorage Bay, Alaska; sank
due to accidental flooding of
the motor room; S-38 settled by
the stern until water came up to
conn, tower plat, aft; further
sinking prevented by air pressure,
Towed into shoal water and
pumped out.

A ug.21 ,
1923

Bapan

R 0-31

*

all

yes

Flooded; premature opening of
hatch before securely surfaced
off Kariga, Hyogoken.

Oct.29,
1923

U.S.

0-5

42

3

yes

Collided with United Fruit steam¬
er ABAIMGARES; approx, amidships;
Limon Bay near entrance to
Panama Canal Zone.

Ban.10,

1924

U.K .

L - 2 4

180

41

n o

During mimic attack on the
Atlantic Fleet battleships, sur¬
faced almost under bow of the
battleship, RESOLUTION, and was
rammed.

March 19,
1924

Bapan

RO-25

(ex-#43)

156

all

no

Collision with cruiser TATSUTA
off Sasebo Harbor, Bapan.

* Unknown

TABLE 1-1 (Cont)

1-19

Date

Country

Submarine

(Ft)

Lost

Salved

Geographical Location and Cause

A ug.26,
1925

Italy

SEBASTIANO

l/ENIERO

300

all

no

CoTILision off Cape Passero,
Sicily, with SS CAPEA while
running submerged.

Sept. 25 ,
1925

U.S .

S-51

132

33

yes

Collision with SS CITY OF ROfYlE
off Block Island. Hit fwd. of
the conn, tower, port side.

Oct.29,
1925

Oapan

RO-52

(ex-#26)

48

none

yes

Flooded via tube during repairs,
Kure Harbor, Japan, alongside
cruiser YAHAG I .

Nov/. 12,
1925

U.K .

(Y1-1

*

all

no

Collision with Swedish steamer,
l/IDAR, while running submerged
in the North Atlantic.

A ug.9 ,
1926

U.K.

H-29

32

6

yes

Flooded at dockside while trim¬
ming on the surface with open
hatches .

Dec.17 ,
1927

U.S.

S-4

102

all

yes

Collision with U5CG destroyer
PAULDING just fwd, amidships,
while off Provincetown, Mass.

A ug.6 ,
1928

Italy

F -14

*

31

yes

Collision off Pela in Adriatic
Sea with Italian destroyer
MISSOR I .

Oct.3,
1928

France

ONDINE

*

43

no

Collision off l/igo, Spain, with
a Greek steamer.

July 8,
1929

U.K.

H-47

*

20

no

Collision with the British sub¬
marine L-12 in St. George’s
Channel off Pembroke, Hales. Two
men on L-12 lost.

* Unknown

TABLE 1-1 (Cont)

1-2Q

Date

Country

S ubmar in e

Depth

(Ft)

Men

Lost

Salved

Geographical Location and Cause

lYlay 26,
1931

Russia

B-9

(ex-RABOCHY)

*

"heavy"

*

Cause unknown; lost during
maneuvers in the Gulf of Finland.

3 un e 9 ,
1931

U.K.

POSE IDIN

130

21

n o

ColT'ision with steamer TUTA off
UJei Har lilei, China.

Oct.24,
1931

Russia

L- 55

(ex-British

L-55)

*

all

(50)

n o

Sunk by unknown causes in the
Gulf of Finland.

3an.26,
1932

U.K .

nfi-2

106

all

n o

Flooded during plane launching
operations off Portland Bill,
England.

Feb . 25,
1932

U.K .

H-42

*

all

no

Sunk by unknown causes off
G ibraltar.

Duly 7,
1932

F ranee

PROMETHEE

150

63

no

Flooded via failure of hydraulic
(Y1BT vents off Cherbourg, France.

3uly 25 ,
1935

Russia

B-3

*

55

yes

Collision with battleship (Y1ARAT
while surfacing in the Baltic Sea.

l\lov. 20,
1936

Germany

U-l 8

*

8

yes-
and re¬
commis¬
sioned

Sunk by collision with German
torpedo-retriever T-156 off
Luebeck, G ermany.

Dec. 12,
1936

Spain

unidenti¬

fied

*

45

no

Sunk by internal explosion off
[flalaga, Spain.

F eb.2 ,
1939

3apan

1-63

*

all

n o

Collision; lost in Bungo Channel.

* Unknown

TABLE 1-1 (Cont)

1-21

Date

Country

Submarine

Depth

(Ft)

Men

Lost

Sal v/ed

Geographical Location and Cause

May 23,
1939

U.S.

SQUALUS

240

26

yes

Flooded, mechanical failure of
main engine induction valve
during test dive off Portsmouth,
N. H .

]une 1,
1939

U.K .

THETIS

120

99

yes

Flooded via torpedo tube off
Mersey, Liverpool Bay.

June 16,
1939

France

PHENIX

390

all

no

Cause unknown; lost off Point
Cam Ranh Bay, South Vietnam.

July 24,
1939

Russia

SHCH-424

*

*

no

Sunk by collision with a fishing
trawler in Kola Inlet, Barents
Sea.

Jan.30,
1940

Germany

U-15

*

*

*

Sunk by collision with German
destroyer IL TIS off Helgoland,
North Sea.

March 6,
1940

Nether¬

lands

0-11

30

3

yes

Collision; rammed by Naval tug
while on the surface off Helder
Navy Yard, Netherlands.

April 29,
1940

U.K.

UNITY

*

4

*

Sunk by collision with steamer
ATLE JARL off South English
coast.

A ug.29,
1940

Japan

1-67

*

*

*

Sunk during maneuvers in
Japanese waters.

Nov.

1940

Russia

D-l

*

*

no

Sunk by diving accident in
Motovsky Bay, Arctic Coast.

* Unknown

TABLE 1-1 (Cont)

1-22

Date

Country

Submarine

Depth

(Ft)

men

Lost

Salved

Geographical Location and Cause

June 20,
1941

U.S.

0-9

440

all

(33)

no

Flooded; crushed hull while ex¬
ceeding test depth of 212 ft. off
Isle of Shoals, New England Coast.

July 19,
1941

U.K.

UIYIPIRE

65

15

n o

Collision; rammed forward by
A/S trawler P. HENDRICKS.

Oct.

1941

Germany

U-579

*

*

yes-

recommis¬

sioned

Sunk by collision in Baltic Sea.

Oct. 3,
1941

Japan

1-61

*

all

yes

Cause unknown; lost off Kyushu,
Japan.

Nov.11,
1941

Germany

U-580

*

12

*

Sunk by collision off (Ylemel, E.
Prussia.

Nov.15,
1941

Germany

U-583

*

45

*

Sunk by collision in Danzig Bay,
Baltic Sea.

Jan.24,
1942

U.S.

S-26

300

46

n o

Collision with PC 460 while on
surface; stbd., amidships; .14
miles off Balboa, Canal Zone.

may 2,
1942

Poland

JASTRZAB
(ex-Brit-
P551)

(ex-US S-2

*

5)

*

•x-

Sunk by collision with British
Battleship KING GEORGE V in the
Norwegian Sea.

may

1942

Russia

SHCH-212

*

-x-

no

Lost near Sevastopol on the Black
Sea due to explosion of gasoline
fumes.

June 21,
1942

U.K.

P-514

*

all

no

Cause unknown; reported as
rammed and sunk by HfYlCS GEORGIAN
in LUest Atlantic Ocean.

* Unknoujn

TABLE 1-1 (Cont)

1-23

Date

Country

Submarine

Depth

(Ft)

Men

Lost

Salved

Geographical Location and Cause

July 14,
1942

Turkey

ATILAY

*

*

*

Lost by accident u/hile on trials
off Kanakkale, Turkey.

A ug.6 ,
1942

G ermany

U-612

*

*

yes-
recom¬
missioned
as a train¬
ing boat

Sunk off UJarnemuende, Baltic Sea
Coast by material casualty.

Se p t.2,
1942

G ermany

U-222

*

42

*

Sunk by collision off Pillau,
East Prussia.

5 e p t. 4 ,
1942

Sweden

SJOEBDRREN

*

*

yes-

recom¬

missioned

Lost by collision in the Baltic

Sea.

Se p t.27,
1942

Japan

1-33

*

*

yes-

recom¬

missioned

Accidentally foundered at TRUK
Island.

Nov.4,
1942

U-K .

X-3

114

3

yes

Flooded via leaky sea valve in
Loch Striven.

Nov . 12,
1942

Germany

U-272

*

28

*

Lost by collision off Hela
Peninsula, Baltic Sea.

Feb.24,
1943

Germany

U- 649

*

35

*

Lost by collision in the Baltic
Sea.

Feb .24,
1943

U.K.

VANDAL

*

*

*

Sank in the Firth of Forth due
to diving failure.

March 19
1943

Germany

U-5

*

21

*

Lost in Danzig Bay due to
diving failure

* Unknown

TABLE 1-1 (Cont)

1-24

Date

Country

Submarine

Depth

(Ft)

Men

Lost

Salved

Geographical Location and Cause

(Ylay 30,
1943

U.K .

UNTAMED

160

all

yes-
recom¬
missioned
as VITALITY

Flooded off Campbeltown,
Scotland.

June 12,
1943

u.s.

R-12

600

42

no

Flooded via forward torpedo tube
during training cruise south of
Florida.

1943

Norway

WELLMAN X

186

none

no

Cause - accident.

July 14,
1943

Japan

1-179

*

*

*

Accidental sinking, Inland Sea.

A ug.5 ,
1943

G erman y

U-34

*

4

*

Sunk by collision off Memel,
East Prussia.

A ug.12,
1943

Sweden

ILLERN

*

*

yes

Sunk by collision with a steamer
in the Baltic Sea.

A ug.20,
1943

Germany

U-670

*

21

*

Sunk by collision with target
ship B0LK0BURG in Bay of Danzig,
Baltic Sea.

Sept.
1943

Russia

m-60

*

*

no

Failed to surface after diving
in the Black Sea.

Sept.20,
1943

Germany

U-346

*

37

*

Accidental sinking in the Baltic

Sea.

Nov.18,
1943

Germany

U-718

q

*

43

*

Sunk by collision with U-476
off Bornholm, Is., Baltic Sea.

Nov.20,
1943

Germany

U-768

*

*

*

Lost by collision, Baltic Sea.

* Unknown

TABLE 1-1 (Cont)

1-25

Date

Country

Submarine

Dept

(Ft)

men

Lost

Salved

Geographical Location and Cause

F eb . 14,
1944

Germany

U-738

*

9

*

Lost by collision with steamer
off Gdynia, Baltic Sea.

Feb .18 ,
1944

Germany

U-7

*

26

*

Diving failure in Danzig Bay,
Baltic Sea.

1944

Germany

U-1013

*

25

*

Lost by collision with U-286
east of Ruegen Is., Baltic Sea.

April 8,
1944

Germany

U-2

*

27

yes

Lost by collision with fishing
trawler H. FROESE off Pillau,
Baltic Sea.

lYlay 14,
1944

Germany

U-1234

*

13

yes-

recom¬

missioned

Lost by collision with a tug off
Gdynia, Baltic Sea.

lYlay 19,
1944

Germany

U-1015

*

36

*

Sunk by collision with U-1014
in Danzig Bay, Baltic Sea.

Dune 13,
1944

Dapan

1-33

*

*

*

Lost in Inland Sea by material
casualty.

Duly 4,
1944

U.S.

S-28

8400

50

n o

Cause unknown; material casualty;
lost off Hawaii.

Duly 22,
1944

Germany

U-1166

*

*

raised-

scrapped

Sunk in Eckern Fjord, Baltic
Sea, by torpedo explosion.

Duly 27,
1944

Russia

M-1

(ex Brit
SUNFISH)

*

*

no

Sunk by mistake by British air¬
craft in the North Sea.

Sept. 21,
1944

Russia

SHCH-402

*

*

n o

Sunk by mistake by Soviet air¬
craft near Fish Harbor,
Norwegian Coast.

* Unknown

TABLE 1-1 (Cont)

1- 26

Date

Country

Submarine

Depth

(Ft)

Hflen

Lost

Salved

Geographical Location and Cause

Sept.
1944

Germany

U-703

*

54

*

Foundered east of Greenland
while attempting recovery of a
weather buoy.

Oc t. 10 ,
1944

Germany

U-2331

*

15

*

Sunk off Hela Peninsula, Baltic
Sea, due to material casualty.

N ov.28,
1944

Germany

U-80

*

*

*

material casualty, Baltic Sea.

Dec . 12,
19 44

Germany

U-416

*

36

*

Rammed and sunk by German mine¬
sweeper while approaching Pillau
E . Prussia.

Dec . 30,
1944

Germany

U-382

*

*

*

Sunk by collision in Danzig Bay,
Baltic Sea.

F eb . 1 8 ,
1945

Germany

U-2344

*

7

*

Sunk by collision off
Heligendamm, Baltic Coast.

Pflarch 6,
1945

U.K.

XE-11

204

2

no

Collision while running sub¬
merged; Loch Striven.

(flay 12,
1946

France

U-2326
(ex German)

*

*

*

Lost by material casualty off
Toulon, France.

June

1946

Spain

C-4

*

*

*

Sunk by collision with the
Spanish Destroyer LEPANTO in
exercises off the Bolearic, Is.

Nov.21,

1947

U.K.

P-511

*

all

yes-

raised-

scrapped

Cause unknown; reported as lost
as the result of "perils of the
sea. "

* Unknown

TABLE 1-1 (Cont)

1-27

Date

Country

Submarine

Depth

(Ft)

Men

Lost

Salved

Geographical Location and Cause

Aug.26,
1949

U.S.

CDCHINO

840

one

civi¬

lian

tech¬

nician

no

Flooded following hydrogen ex¬
plosions; in the Barents Sea,

100 miles north of Hammerfest,
Norway. USS TUSK assisted in
rescue and lost six of her crew.

Ban . 12 ,
1950

U.K .

TRUCULENT

66

61

yes

Collision with Swedish tanker
DIUINA; 55 miles east of London,
Thames Estuary.

April 17,
1951

U.K.

AFFRAY

198

75

no

Flooded due to failure of snorkel
mast weldment; English Channel.

Sept.24,
1952

F ranee

LA SIBYLLE

3000

70

no

Flooded in unknown manner, near
Toulon, France.

April 4,
1953

Turkey

DU1Y1LUP INAR
(ex-USS
BLOUJER-
SS 325)

228

all

n o

Collided with Swedish NAB0LAND,
struck near the bow; in
Dardanelles.

Bune 16,
1955

U.K.

SIDON

36

13

yes

Flooded, internal casualty in
Portland Harbor, England.

HOay 30,
1958

U.S.

STICKLE¬

BACK

9000

none

n o

Collision during maneuvers with
destroyer, 19 miles S . li. of
Pearl Harbor.

1959

Chile

O'BRIEN

30

none

no

Slow flooding overnight while
moored; near Naval Base,
Talcahuano, Chile.

* Unknown

TABLE 1-1 (Cont)

1-28

Date

Country

Submarine

Depth

(Et)

Men

Lost

Salved

Geographical Location and Cause

April ID,
1963

U.S.

THRESHER

8400

129

no

Cause unknown; off New England
Coast.

Oct.

1963

Russia

PUCHINA

*

*

yes

Sunk in collision with merchant-
ship Kola Gulf, Barents Sea.

Sept.15,
1966

UJest

Germany

HA I

145

19

yes

Flooded during North Sea Gale.

Jan . 2 6
1 968

Israel

DAKAR

*

69

n o

East Mediterranean

Jan. 27
1 968

F ranee

MINERVE

*

52

no

Western Mediterranean

May 27
1968

U.S.

SCORPION

12000

99

no

Atlantic, South-UJest of the
Azores

May 15
1 969

U.S.

GUITARRO

35

0

yes

Mare Island Naval Shipyard,
Vallejo, California; flooded.

March 2
1 970

France

EURVDICE

*

45

no

Mediterranean