USS H-4 (SS-147)

USS H-4 (SS-147) was a H-class submarine originally built for the Imperial Russian Navy. Six of these were not delivered pending the outcome of the Russian Revolution of 1917 before being purchased by the United States Navy on 20 May 1918.

USS H-4 underway, circa 1922
History
United States
Name: USS H-4
Ordered: by the Imperial Russian Navy, 1915
Builder: Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington
Laid down: 12 May 1918
Launched: 9 October 1918
Acquired: 20 May 1918
Commissioned: 24 October 1918
Decommissioned: 25 October 1922
Reclassified: SS-147, 17 July 1920
Stricken: 26 February 1931
Fate: Sold for scrapping, 14 September 1931
General characteristics
Class and type: H-class submarine
Displacement:
  • 358 long tons (364 t) surfaced
  • 467 long tons (474 t) submerged
Length: 150 ft 4 in (45.82 m)
Beam: 15 ft 10 in (4.83 m)
Draft: 12 ft 5 in (3.78 m)
Installed power:
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph) surfaced
  • 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 2,300 nmi (4,300 km; 2,600 mi) at 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph) on the surface
  • 100 nmi (190 km; 120 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth: 200 ft (61 m)
Complement: 25 officers and men
Armament: 4 × 18 inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes

Description

The H-class submarines had a length of 150 feet 4 inches (45.8 m) overall, a beam of 15 feet 10 inches (4.8 m) and a mean draft of 12 feet 5 inches (3.8 m). They displaced 358 long tons (364 t) on the surface and 467 long tons (474 t) submerged. The boats had a crew of 2 officers and 23 enlisted men. They had a diving depth of 200 feet (61.0 m).[1]

For surface running, they were powered by two New London Ship & Engine Co. 475-brake-horsepower (354 kW) diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 170-horsepower (127 kW) Electro Dynamic Co. electric motor. They could reach 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) on the surface and 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph) underwater.[1] On the surface, the boats had a range of 2,300 nautical miles (4,300 km; 2,600 mi) at 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph) and 100 nmi (190 km; 120 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged.[2]

The boats were armed with four 18 inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes in the bow. They carried four reloads, for a total of eight torpedoes.[2]

Construction and career
Three typical H-class submarines (Archives of Royal Danish Naval Museum)

H-4 was launched on 9 October 1918, and commissioned on 24 October 1918 with Lieutenant Ralph O. Davis in command. Stationed at San Pedro, California — first with Submarine Division 6 (SubDiv 6) and then SubDiv 7 — H-4 participated in various battle and training exercises along the West Coast with her sister H-boats. These exercises were interrupted by occasional patrol duty off Santa Catalina Island and periodic overhauls at Mare Island.

In company with the two sub divisions and tender Beaver, H-4 sailed from San Pedro on 25 July 1922 and reached Norfolk, Virginia on 14 September via Magdalena Bay, Corinto, and Coco Solo. She decommissioned there on 25 October. H-4 was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 26 February 1931 and sold for scrap on 14 September.

Notes
  1. Friedman, p. 307
  2. Gardiner & Gray, p. 128
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References
  • Friedman, Norman (1995). U.S. Submarines Through 1945: An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-263-3.
  • Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships: 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.
  • This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
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