USS S-46, a 1126-ton S-42 class submarine built at Quincy, Massachusetts, was commissioned in June 1925. She was based at Coco Solo, Panama Canal Zone during 1925-1927, taking occasional cruises out of that area to participate in special training and major U.S. Fleet maneuvers. In June 1927, S-46's home port was shifted to San Diego, California, and in 1930 to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Her peacetime pattern of training and exercises continued during that time, and after she returned to the Panama Canal Zone in 1936.
S-46 generally remained in the Panama area until after the United States entered World War II, though she did operate in New England and Bermuda waters for a several months in 1941. In March 1942 she was sent west to take an active part in the war with Japan. She departed Brisbane, Australia, in May on a war patrol to the New Britain area, where she hunted enemy shipping without success until mid-June. Two other patrols followed, one to the Solomon Islands in July and August and the second, in September and October, to defend eastern New Guinea. By this time, it was clear that eldery submarines like S-46 had grave difficulties making combat patrols in tropical waters, and in November 1942 she headed back to the United States for an extensive overhaul.
In September 1943, following completion of this work, S-46 went to the North Pacific for operations out of Dutch Harbor, Aleutian Islands. She made two more war patrols, into the waters off Northern Japan, between October 1943 and January 1944, and damaged a Japanese ship during the first. After the end of the second patrol, S-46 was assigned to anti-submarine training. Based at San Diego, she was active in this role until soon after Japan's surrender. Decommissioned in early November 1945, USS S-46 was sold for scrapping a year later.
This page features all the views we have related to USS S-46.
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: NH 42189 USS S-46 (SS-157) Leaving Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, en route to the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, in April 1927. USS S-44 (SS-155) is in the foreground. Destroyer in the distance is USS Moody (DD-277). U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 64KB; 740 x 545 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 63094 USS Holland (AS-3) Moored off San Diego, California, circa 1930. Submarines alongside, to starboard, are (from inboard): Submarines moored to Holland's port side are (from inboard): U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 86KB; 740 x 600 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 96623 USS Holland (AS-3) In Balboa harbor, Panama Canal Zone, 7 May 1927, with seven "S"-type submarines alongside. Panoramic photograph, taken for the National Photo Service, San Antonio, Texas. Note that firm's logo in the right-center. Submarines in the center group are (from outboard): S-46 (SS-157); S-47 (SS-158); S-44 (SS-155); and an unidentifed boat. Outboard submarine in the group astern is S-45 (SS-156). Courtesy of Captain Gordon Peterson, USN. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 97KB; 1200 x 345 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 96624 19th Submarine Division At San Diego, California, 28 July 1928, with officers and crewmen paraded on deck. Panoramic photograph, taken by O.A. Tunnell, 521 A St., San Diego. The first three submarines are (from inboard): S-46 (SS-157); S-42 (SS-152) and S-47 (SS-158). The other three are (in no order): S-43 (SS-154); S-44 (SS-155) and S-45 (SS-156). Courtesy of Captain Gordon Peterson, USN. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 128KB; 1200 x 420 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 72134 USS S-46 (SS-157) Closeup view of the submarine's conning tower area, looking aft. Taken at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, during the 1920s. Note her bell, navigation lights and open hatch. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 82KB; 590 x 765 pixels |
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Photo #: 80-G-77065 Submarine Squadron FIVE (SubRon 5) A Chief Torpedoman paints another "hashmark" on the Torpedo Shop scoreboard of Japanese ships claimed sunk by SubRon 5's "S-Boats", operating out of Brisbane, Australia, during April-November 1942. Photographed on board USS Griffin (AS-13), tender to the squadron. Submarines listed on the scoreboard include S-37 (SS-142), S-38 (SS-143), S-39 (SS-144), S-40 (SS-145), S-41 (SS-146), S-42 (SS-153), S-43 (SS-154), S-44 (SS-155), S-45 (SS-156), S-46 (SS-157), and S-47 (SS-158). The original caption dates the photo on 7 January 1943, but it may have been taken earlier, as Griffin left Australia in November 1942. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 104KB; 585 x 765 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 19 July 2002
New images added 18 July 2003