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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive
Contributed by Don McGrogan, BMCS, USN (ret.)

Garfish / H-3 (SS-30)

Radio Call Sign: November - Yankee - Echo
H-1 Class Submarine: Laid down, as Garfish, 3 April 1911, at Seattle Construction & Drydock Co., Seattle, WA.; Renamed H-3, 17 November 1911; Launched, 3 July 1913; Commissioned USS H-3, 16 January 1914, at Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, WA.; Ran aground off Somoa, CA., 16 December 1916; Decommissioned: 4 February 1917, at Humbolt Bay, CA.; Recommissioned, 20 April 1917, at Humbolt Bay, CA.; Decommissioned, 23 October 1922, at Hampton Roads, VA.; Laid up in the Reserve Fleet; Struck from the Naval Register, 18 December 1930; Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 14 September 1931.

Specifications: Displacement, surfaced 358 t., submerged 467 t.; Length 150' 4"; Beam 15' 10"; Draft 12' 5"; Speed, surfaced 14 kts, submerged 10.5 kts; Depth Limit 200'; Complement 2 Officers 23 Enlisted; Armament, four 18" torpedo tubes (fwd), 8 torpedoes; Propulsion, diesel-electric, New London Ship & Engine Co., diesel engines, 950 hp, Fuel Capacity 11,800 gals., Electro Dynamic electric motors, 600 hp, Battery Cells 120, single propeller.
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H-3651kPhoto of the H-3 (SS-30) Control Room. The boat's wheel is connected via a metal "belt" to a shaft that runs though the boat in the overhead to the rudder. The vertical sight gauges show the fluid level in the variable ballast tanks below the deck. Date is 27 March 1913. The sub was still on the ways waiting for her 3 April 1913 launch. US National Archives photo courtesy of Ric Hedmen.
H-3101k"H-3 (SS-30) returning from Seattle to Bremerton, WA March 1914. Lt. Munroe is on the bridge. H-3 had been refueling in Seattle and returns to Puget Sound Navy Yard. She was only about ½ mile from the Bremerton shipyards in this photo." 27 January 1913. US Navy Bureau of Ships photo # 19-N-13-27, now in the collections of the US National Archives.
H-3103kThe H-3 (SS-30) photographed circa 1914, probably in the Puget Sound area when first completed. USNHC photo # NH 53821.
H-346kThe H-3 (SS-30) underway in 1914.USN photo.
H-1, 2 & 3173kH-1 (SS-28), H-2 (SS-29) and H-3 (SS-30), berthed together at an unknown location in January 1914. They possibly could be nested alongside of the Cheyenne (BM-10), which was the tender for the three subs. U.S. Navy photograph courtesy of Darryl Baker.
F-4 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-3 (SS-22),
& 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.
H-1, 2 & 381k Cheyenne(BM-10) with H-3 (SS-30), H-1 (SS-28) and H-2 (SS-29) alongside, probably at San Diego, California, circa 1914-1917. Note the submarines' 13-star "boat" flags, and the numbers "23", "21" and "22", on their periscope housings. The first digit of these numbers represents the Second Torpedo Flotilla, to which they were assigned. The second digit represents the individual submarine's name. Also note the Sailor seated on Cheyenne's port anchor. Text courtesy of U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 76004.
US Navy photo, courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
H-3148kThe grounded submarine H-3 (SS-30) on the "rocks" off Pt. Sur, coast of California, 30 June 1915. US Navy photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
H-387kThe H-3 (SS-30) in drydock at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, in July 1915. Her starboard bilge keel shows the effects of her recent grounding at Point Sur, California. USNHC photo # NH 69848, courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1969.
H-3116kThe H-3 (SS-30) in drydock at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, in July 1915. Her starboard bilge keel shows the effects of her recent grounding at Point Sur, California. Note the rotating torpedo muzzle cover at H-3's bow. USNHC photo # NH 69850, courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1969.
H-2 & 382k The monitor Cheyenne (BM-10) with two of her charges H-2 (SS-29), H-3 (SS-30) in 1916.
US Navy photo courtesy of Robert M. Cieri.
H-3196kPhoto post card of the H-3 (SS-30), run aground at Somoa, CA., 16 December 1916.
Photo courtesy of Russ Wilson via Tom Bateman, formerly of George Washington (SSBN-598) and Blenny (SS-324) fame.
H-394kVisitors inspecting the H-3 (SS-30) run aground at Somoa, CA., 16 December 1916.
US Navy photo courtesy of Robert M. Cieri.
H-381kA photo by Underwood & Underwood showing the H-3 (SS-30) and the cruiser Milwaukee (C-21) run aground at Somoa, CA., 13 January 1917.
US Navy photo courtesy of Robert M. Cieri.
H-381k A crowed has gathered on Somoa Beach, California to view the grounded submarine H-3 (SS-30) in late January 1917. U.S. Navy photograph courtesy of Darryl Baker.
H-365kThe grounded submarine H-3 (SS-30) off Eureka, California US Navy photo # 19-N-11469, from (NARA), courtesy of Daniel Dunham.
H-3110kA sailor poises for a picture during the recovery operation of the H-3 (SS-30), 6 Apr 1917 by Mercer-Fraser Co.
US Navy photo courtesy of Robert M. Cieri.
H-399k The H-3 (SS-30) is shown being moved across the sand at Somoa Beach, CA on 6 Apr 1917 by Mercer-Fraser Co. The caption reads: Submarine H3, Apr. 6/17, Moving 250 ft per hr. U.S. Navy photograph courtesy of Darryl Baker.
H-3138k This photo shows the salvage operation underway to recover the submarine H-3 (SS-30) at Beach, CA in April 1917. U.S. Navy photograph courtesy of Darryl Baker.
H-351k H-3 (SS-30) on the left, possibly with the H-9 (SS-152), on the right & Cheyenne (BM-10) in the background at Bremerton, WA., circa 1918-22. US Navy photo courtesy of Robert M. Cieri. Partial text courtesy of DANFS.
H-3103kThe H-3 (SS-30) underway, circa 1922.USNHC photo # NH 53822.
Lake type97kSubmarines at a West Coast port, circa 1919-1922.
The Lake type L-8 (SS-48) is at the outboard (left) end of the nest, with her sister, L-7 (SS-46), in the middle (3rd from left). H-3 (SS-30) is between them, with another Electric Boat Company submarine second from right. The inboard (right) "boat" and that in the foreground are the other two units of the Lake-designed L-5 class; L-5 (SS-44) and L-6 (SS-45). Note piloting station details, periscope, and wide deck of the Lake type L-boat in the foreground.
USNHC photo # NH 103256. Collection of Chief Engineman Virgil Breland, USN. Donated by Mrs. E.H. Breland, 1979.
Lake type89kSubmarines at a West Coast port, circa 1919-1922.
The Lake type L-8 (SS-48) is at the outboard (left) end of the nest, with her sister, L-7 (SS-46), in the middle (3rd from left). H-3 (SS-30) is between them, with another Electric Boat Company submarine second from right. The inboard (right) "boat" and that in the foreground are the other two units of the Lake-designed L-5 class; L-5 (SS-44) and L-6 (SS-45). Note the "Y-tube" hydrophone mounted on the bow of the submarine in the foreground. 		USNHC photo # NH 103255. Collection of Chief Engineman Virgil Breland, USN. Donated by Mrs. E.H. Breland, 1979.
H-356kH-3 (SS-30), date and place unknown.
US Navy photo from DANFS, submitted by Joe Radigan, MACM USN Ret.
graveyard shift977kStarting a 5,000-mile journey, which will end at their own graveyard,twelve H and L type submarines left the Navy base at San Pedro, CA, recently, bound for Hampton Roads, VA. through the Panama Canal. Upon arrival on the East coast they are to be decommissioned and cut up for scrap iron.
Ten of the boats were:
H-2 (SS-29),
H-3 (SS-30),
L-6 (SS-45),
L-7 (SS-46),
H-4 (SS-147),
H-5 (SS-148),
H-6 (SS-149),
H-7 (SS-150),
H-8 (SS-151),
H-9 (SS-152).
Image and text provided by University of Utah, Marriott Library.
Photo from The Lehi Sun. (Lehi, Utah) 1913-1949, 17 August 1922, Image 4, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
PDF added 03/11/11.
H-387kCommemorative photo remembering the H-3 (SS-30).Photo courtesy of Tom Kermen. Dante's Prayer courtesy of Loreena McKennitt via quinlanroad.com.
View the Garfish / H-3 (SS-30)
DANFS history entry located on the Haze Gray & Underway Web Site.
Crew Contact And Reunion Information
Not Applicable to this Vessel
Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Stranding of USS H-3 and USS Milwaukee, and salvage of USS H-3, December 1916 - April 1917, USNHC
Through the Looking Glass, a Historic Look at Submarines
Back To The Main Photo IndexBack To the Submarine Index
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