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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Skate / F-4 (SS-23)

F Class Submarine: Laid down, as Skate, 21 August 1909, at Seattle Construction & Drydock Co., Seattle, WA.; Renamed F-4, 17 November 1911; Launched, 6 January 1912; Commissioned USS F-4, 3 May 1913; Sunk by mechanical failure, foundered of Honolulu, HI, 25 March 1915; Raised, 29 August 1915; Struck from the Naval Register, 31 August 1915; Final Disposition, in 1940 the remains of F-4 (SS-23) were buried as fill in a trench off the Submarine Base, Pearl Harbor.

Specifications: Displacement, surfaced 330 t., submerged 400 t.; Length 142' 7"; Beam 15' 5"; Draft 12' 2"; Speed, surfaced 13.5 kts, submerged 11.5 kts; Depth Limit 200'; Complement 1 Officer 21 Enlisted; Armament, four 18" torpedo tubes, four torpedoes; Propulsion, diesel electric, Craig Shipbuilding Co., engines, 800 hp, Fuel Capacity 11,500 gal., Electro Dynamic Co. motors, 620 hp, Battery Cells 120, twin propellers.

Size	Image Description	Contributed By
210k	U.S. submarines (SS-20) through (SS-23). General plans prepared by the Fore River Shipbuilding Company, Quincy, Massachusetts, 18 June 1910. This sheet features inboard and outboard profile drawings. These submarines were constructed by the Union Iron Works, San Francisco, California. Initially named Carp (SS-20), Barracuda (SS-21), Pickerel (SS-22) and Skate (SS-23), they were renamed F-1 (SS-20) through F-4 (SS-23) in November 1911, while under construction. The original plan is in Record Group 19 at the U.S. National Archives.	U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 84383. Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1976.
201k	U.S. Submarines (SS-20) through (SS-23). General plans prepared by the Fore River Shipbuilding Company, Quincy, Massachusetts, 18 June 1910. This sheet features a table of dimensions, deck plans and hull section drawings. These submarines were constructed by the Union Iron Works, San Francisco, California. Initially named Carp (SS-20), Barracuda (SS-21), Pickerel (SS-22) and Skate (SS-23), they were renamed F-1 (SS-20) through F-4 (SS-23) in November 1911, while under construction. The original plan is in Record Group 19 at the U.S. National Archives.	U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 84382. Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1976.
24k	In the F class (SS-20 - 23) the conning tower is shown in dashed vertical lines between the two periscopes. This class & the E class (SS-24 - 25) introduced bow planes into Electric Boat practice.	Drawing by Jim Christley. Photo & text courtesy of U.S. Submarines Through 1945, An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman. Naval Institute Press.
994k	F class (SS-20 - 23) submarines and their tender are in DD#2 at Mare Island on 21 January 1913. Left to right: F-3 (SS-22), F-2 (SS-21), F-1 (SS-20) and Alert (AS-4) in the background.	US Navy photo / MINSY # 01211913-01 courtesy of Darryl Baker. Photo added 06/16/08.
74k	F-4 (SS-23), underway off San Diego, California, circa 1912. The original photograph was printed on a postal card postmarked from Tender Alert (AS-4), 2 February 1913.	US Navy photo # NH 77110, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center. Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1972.
78k	F-4 (SS-23), photographed in 1913-15.	US Navy photo # NH 74736, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center. Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1972.
81k	F-4 (SS-23), at Honolulu in 1914 along with (from front to back): F-2(SS-21), F-3(SS-22) and F-1 (SS-20). The US Army Transport Dix is in the background. Note the "fish" flags and 13-star "boat" ensigns flown by these submarines. Photographed by Noggle.	US Navy photo # NH 63259, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.
98k	Tender Alert (AS-4) at Long Beach CA., circa 1914 with several subs alongside. The one next to the *Alert* is not identifible, the F-3 (SS-22) second inboard, third boat can't be identified due to flag & F-4 (SS-23) is outboard.	Photo courtesy of Vernon P. Maxson, Jr. LCDR,USNR-R-RETIRED (SS) (former crew member, PARGO-SS-264) & Ric Hedmen.
84k	F-4 (SS-23) at anchor in Honolulu, HI. Date unknown.	Courtesy of MMCM (SS) Greg Peterman USN Retired.
49k	Submarines alongside Cheyenne (BM-10): at San Pedro, California, circa 1914-1916. The submarines are (from left to right): H-1 (SS-28); H-2 (SS-29); F-4 (SS-23), & H-3 (SS-30).	US Navy photo # NH 101606, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center. Courtesy of H.R. ("Ed") Coffer, 1986.
23k	Alfred Louis Ede, Lieutenant, Junior Grade (Commanding Officer) of the F-4 (SS-23) at the time of her loss.	US Navy photo courtesy of oneternalpatrol.com.
152k	Diver "Jack" Adrez going down to search for the F-4 (SS-23), when he had made the record dive of 215 feet. In the foreground on the government dredge brought to the scene for the purpose of raising the submarine, are the crews of the other United States submarines in the Honolulu Harbor.	Photo by Central News, courtesy of memory.loc.gov. Partial text from The New York Times, 18 April 1915. Page 2.
248k	The salvaged F-4 (SS-23) sits in a floating dry dock in Pearl Harbor in August 1915. Note: Pontoons beside her were constructed at Mare Island Navy Yard.	US Navy photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. Photo added 06/16/08.
141k	Naval Constructor Furer developed this method for recovery of the F-4 (SS-23) from the ocean floor off Honolulu. Six large pontoons were constructed at Mare Island for this project and freighted to Hawaii on the deck of the armored crusier Maryland (ACR-8).	Photo & text courtesy of Beneath the Surface: World War I Submarines Built in Seattle and Vancouver by Bill Lightfoot.
88k	This edited photo illustrates how the F-4 (SS-23) was moved from deep water into the dry dock after being raised from a record setting depth of 320 feet, a salvage record that held for 54 years.	Photo & text courtesy of Beneath the Surface: World War I Submarines Built in Seattle and Vancouver by Bill Lightfoot. Photo from Kerrick, Military & Naval America.
41k	Pontoons used to raise the F-4 (SS-23).	Photo courtesy of Jack Treutle.
31k	Harbor scene as the pontoons used to raise the F-4 (SS-23) pass by.	Photo courtesy of Jack Treutle.
102k	Salvage of F-4 (SS-23). Valve manifold and hose leads to submerged pontoons, on board a salvage vessel off Honolulu, circa 29 August 1915. Halftone photograph, copied from "Transactions of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers", Volume 24, 1916, Figure 11. The tug is probably *Navajo*.	US Navy photo # NH 43499, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.
104k	Salvage of F-4 (SS-23), April-August 1915. Valve manifold and hose leads to submerged pontoons, on board a salvage vessel off Honolulu, Hawaii, probably in August 1915. This equipment was devised by Naval Constructor Julius A. Furer. Halftone photograph, copied from "Transactions of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers", Volume 24, 1916, Figure 11. The tug in the left distance is probably *Navajo*.	US Navy photo # NH 43497, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.
70k	Salvage of F-4 (SS-23), April-August 1915. Bow salvage pontoons emerging from the depths, off Honolulu, Hawaii, circa 29 August 1915, during the final lifting of the sunken submarine. The salvage equipment was devised by Naval Constructor Julius A. Furer. Halftone photograph, copied from "Transactions of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers", Volume 24, 1916, Figure 12.	US Navy photo # NH 43498, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.
86k	Salvage of F-4 (SS-23), circa 29 August 1915. Salvage pontoons on the surface, off Honolulu, after the final lifting of the sunken submarine in preparation for towing her into Honolulu harbor. Note wooden protective sheathing around the pontoons. Salvage equipment was devised by Naval Constructor Julius A. Furer. The tug is probably *Navajo*.	US Navy photo # NH 74732, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center. Photo courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1972.
43k	Naval personnel examine the large implosion hole in F-4's (SS-23) port side, in drydock at Honolulu, circa late August or early September 1915. She had been raised from over 300 feet of water and towed into port. This view was taken from off the port bow, showing the submarine's port side diving plane in the center. She is upside down, rolled to starboard approximately 120 degrees from the vertical.	US Navy photo # NH 74734, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center. Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1972.
98k	F-4 (SS-23), in drydock at Honolulu, 1 September 1915, after she had been raised from over 300 feet of water and towed into port. Note the large implosion hole in her port side, and the salvage pontoons used to support her during the final lift. This view shows F-4's port bow. She is upside down, rolled to starboard approximately 120 degrees from the vertical. Photographed by Kodagraph, Honolulu.	US Navy photo # NH 74733, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center. Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1972.
43k	Commemorative photo in memory of the F-4 (SS-23).	Photo courtesy of Tom Kermen.
91k	Memorial plaque at Independence Seaport Museum, Philadelphia PA, July 2006 for the crews of United States submarines lost during peace time accidents: F-1 (SS-20), F-4 (SS-23), G-2 (SS-27), H-1 (SS-28), O-5 (SS-66), O-9 (SS-70), S-4 (SS-109), S-51 (SS-162), Squalus (SS-192), Scorpion (SSN-589) & Thresher (SSN-593).	Photo courtesy of Wendell Royce McLaughlin Jr.
52k	Commemorative group photo of the crew of the F-4 (SS-23). In Memorium: In the Second Book of Shmuel (Samuel), 22nd chapter, 5th through the 20th verses, translated from the original in Hebrew and published by the Koren Publishers of Jerusalem, Israel, 1982, can perhaps aptly describe the fate of the crew and all other U.S. submariners who died defending their county: "When the waves of death compassed me / the floods of ungodly men made me afraid; / the bonds of She'ol encircled me; / the snares of death took me by surprise; / in my distress I called upon the Lord, / and cried to my G-D: / and he heard my voice out of his temple, / and my cry entered into his ears. / Then the earth shook and trembled; /the foundations of heaven moved / and shook because of his anger /...the heavy mass of waters, and thick clouds of the skies /... And the channels of the sea appeared, / the foundations of the world were laid bare, / at the rebuking of the Lord, at the blast at the breath of his nostrils. / He sent from above, he took me; / he drew me out of many waters; / he delivered me from my strong enemy, and from those who hated me; for they were too strong for me. / They surprised me in the day of my calamity: / but the Lord was my stay / He brought me forth also into a large place: / he delivered me because he delighted in me./"	Courtesy of oneternalpatrol.com.