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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

L-4 (SS-43)

Radio Call Sign: November - Yankee - Quebec
L-1 Class Submarine: Laid down, 23 March 1914, at Fore River Shipbuilding Co., Quincy, MA.; Launched, 3 April 1915; Commissioned, USS L-4, 4 May 1916; Designated (SS-43), 17 July 1920; Decommissioned and simultaneously struck from the Naval Register, date unknown, at Philadelphia, PA; Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 31 July 1922, to Pottstown Steel Co., Douglasville, PA.
Partial data submitted by Yves Hubert.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 450 t., Submerged: 548 t.; Length 167' 5"; Beam 17' 5"; Draft 13' 7"; Speed, Surfaced 14 kts, Submerged 10.5 kts; Depth Limit 200'; Complement 2 Officers, 26 Enlisted; Armament, four 18", torpedo tubes, 8 torpedoes, one 3"/23 deck gun; Propulsion, diesel-electric, New London Ship and Engine Co. diesel engine, HP 900, Fuel Capacity, 18,977 gal., Electro Dynamic Co. electric motor, HP 680, Battery Cells 120, single propeller.
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L-4 440k L-4 (SS-43), running trials, 1915. National Archives Identifier: 45513755
Local Identifier: 165-WW-338B-31.
Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov
L-4 365k L-4 (SS-43) is seen in Dry Dock 1 of the Boston Navy Yard ca. 1916-17. The Constitution can be seen in the background. USN photo from the National Park Service, Boston National Historical Park, cat. no.BOSTS-11689, courtesy of Stephen P. Carlson, Preservation Specialist, Boston NHP, Charlestown Navy Yard.
M-1 743k All the news that's fit to misprint, #1.
UNITED STATES TESTS FIRST OF BIG NEW SEA-GOING SUBMARINES
The M-1 (SS-47) is shown on her trial trip off Provincetown, Mass., on 6 July. She is 230 1/2 feet long, with 21 1/2-foot beam. Her radius of action is 2,000 miles.
She is not as large as the German submarine Deutschland, now at Baltimore, whose length is 315 feet, with a 30 foot beam.
It is actually an EB design L-class boat. The paper that originally published the photo misidentified it. The caption is wrong.		Photo & text i.d. courtesy of David Johnston
Image provided by: Penn State University Libraries; University Park, PA.
Photo from Evening Public Ledger. (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 11 July 1916, Night Extra, Image 2, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
M-1 531k All the news that's fit to misprint, # 2.
LARGEST SUBMARINE STANDS STIFF TEST
Above is a picture of the U.S. submarine M-1 (SS-47) the largest submarine of our navy. She was photographed while being put through an exciting trip at Provincetown. Mass. She can travel 5000 miles without a stop, 1000 more than was covered by the Deutschland.".
It is actually an EB design L-class boat. The paper that originally published the photo misidentified it. The caption is wrong.		Photo & text i.d. courtesy of David Johnston
Image and text provided by University of North Texas; Denton, TX.
Photo from El Paso Herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 21 July 1916, HOME EDITION, Image 6, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Pennell 127k What looks to be L-class (SS-40/51) submarines in dry dock, by the artist Joseph Pennell, 1917. Photo # 3c19552v, LC-USZ62-119552. Photograph courtesy of memory.loc.gov.
Tonopah 496k A MOTHER SEADOG GUARDING HER PUPPIES
This interesting photograph was taken within the Charlestown Navy Yard, where the United States submarine tender Tonopah (M-8) lies at anchor with her undersea charges, comprising submarine fleet No.3, of the North Atlantic fleet.
Probable submarines are the E.B. designed L-boats (SS-40 / 43 & 49 / 51), [L-1 thru 4 & 9 thru 11.]		Image and text provided by Penn State University Libraries; University Park, PA.
Photo from Evening Public Ledger.(Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 02 June 1917, Postscript Edition, Pictorial Section, Image 19, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
SS-24 & 4359kE-1 (SS-24) inboard & L-4 (SS-43), probably taken between 4 December 1917 & 12 January 1918, when both boats left Newport R.I. for the Ponta Delgada in the Azores, protecting the islands from German attack and use as a haven by U-boats. USN photo courtesy of Robert M. Cieri.
Partial text courtesy of DANFS.
L-2 & 4366kLoading a MK7 Bliss-Leavitt torpedo aboard the drydocked submarines L-2 (SS-41) & L-4 (SS-43) when they were based at Bantry Bay, Ireland, between January 1918 & 1919.
The MK7 was 17.7 inches diameter and 17 feet long & weighed 1628 pounds.		Photo & text i.d. courtesy of Ric Hedman.
National Archives Identifier: 45514059
Local Identifier: 165-WW-339C-40
Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov
L- boats 753k Sack Time. Typical of the subject submarines, here men are stacked four high on canvas fold away bunks aboard an American L-boat in the European theater. Photo from Illustrated London News, 28 September, 1918, courtesy of Beneath the Surface: World War I Submarines Built in Seattle and Vancouver by Bill Lightfoot.
L-boats 600k "L" class submarines probably alongside Bushnell (AS-2) at Bantry Bay, Ireland, in 1918. L-3 (SS-42), L-1 (SS-40), L-10 (SS-50), L-4 (SS-43), L-9 (SS-49). USN photo # Lot-5410-23, Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels Collection. Photographed through Mylar sleeve. Courtesy of the Library of Congress via National Museum of the U.S. Navy via flickr.com.
L-4 71k L-4 (SS-43) underway in 1918, probably in Bantry Bay, Ireland. USN photo # NH 51137, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.
L-4 57k L-4 (SS-43) off Berehaven, Ireland, in 1918. USN photo # NH 51138, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.
L-4 71k L-4 (SS-43) underway off Bantry Bay, Ireland, in 1918. USN photo # NH 51139, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.
L-4 104k L-4 (SS-43) in right center background, exercising with another submarine off Ireland, in 1918. USN photo # NH 51140, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.
L-4 73k L-4 (SS-43) making a crash dive off the Irish coast, 1918. USN photo # NH 51141, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.
L-Boats221k Bushnell (AS-2) lifting L-2 (SS-41) partially out of the water, while in an Irish port during World War I. Moored to Bushnell's port side are (from left to right):
L-4 (SS-43),
L-1 (SS-40),
& L-9 (SS-49). 		National Archives Identifier: 45513749
Local Identifier: 165-WW-338B-28
Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov
L-4 63k L-4 (SS-43), at Berehaven, Ireland. The L-4 was based here beginning 27 January 1918. USN photo contributed by Mike Green.
L-4 113k L-4 (SS-43), crew photo, circa 1918, place unknown. Note L-2 (SS-41), just visible in the background. Vance Adams for his father, Lt. Vance Adams USN Ret (deceased).
L-4 407k Wartime photo of L-4 (SS-43) (on right) in drydock with another L-boat. National Archives Identifier: 45513765
Local Identifier: 165-WW-338B-036.
Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov
Maryland 572k AMERICAN SUBMARINES home again from foreign waters lying in the sheltered basin at League Island.
The tender Bushnell (AS-2) and three of her charges lie alongside. The L-4 (SS-43) lies inboard along with 2 of her sisters. 		Image provided by: Penn State University Libraries; University Park, PA.,
Photo & text by Evening Public Ledger. (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 4 February 1919, Night Extra, Image 20, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
SS-50,40, 49 & 4380k L-boats alongside Bushnell (AS-2) at Bantry Bay, Ireland, in 1918. These submarines are, from left to right:
unidentified submarine;
L-1 (SS-40),
L-10 (SS-50),
L-4 (SS-43) &
L-9 (SS-49). 		USNHC photograph # NH 51171.
SS-50,40, 49 & 4387k L-boats alongside Bushnell (AS-2) at Bantry Bay, Ireland, in 1918. These submarines are, from left to right:
unidentified submarine;
L-1 (SS-40),
L-10 (SS-50),
L-4 (SS-43) &
L-9 (SS-49).
Note the smoke from the submarines' engines. 		USNHC photograph # NH 51170.
L-4, 10 & 11 61k Bushnell (AS-2) at anchor in Bantry Bay, Ireland, 1918. The submarines alongside are (from left to right): L-4 (SS-43); L-11 (SS-51); and L-10 (SS-50). USN photo # NH 52856, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center. Collection of Rear Admiral Harold F. Pullen, USN. Loaned via Captain Paul B. Ryan, USN (Retired), 1977.
SS-50,40, & 4383kThese submarines are, from left to right:
L-4 (SS-43)&
L-10 (SS-50),
L-1 (SS-40).
At the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Pennsylvania, soon after their 1 February 1919 return to the U.S. from European waters. Note what appears to be a very long "homeward bound" pennant flying from the top of L-1's (SS-40), periscope. 		USNHC photograph # NH 51158.
SS-50,40, & 4383kThese submarines are, from left to right:
L-4 (SS-43),
L-10 (SS-50),
L-1 (SS-40).
At the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Pennsylvania, soon after their 1 February 1919 return to the U.S. from European waters. Note chevrons painted on the submarines' fairwaters, signifying World War I overseas service. 		USNHC photograph # NH 51144.
SS-50,40, & 4383k These submarines are, from left to right:
L-4 (SS-43),
L-10 (SS-50),
L-1 (SS-40).
At the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Pennsylvania, soon after their 1 February 1919 return to the U.S. from European waters. Ship in the immediate background is either Quinnebaug (ID-1687) or Saranac (ID-1702), with the other of the two beyond her. 		USNHC photograph # NH 51142.
SS-50,40, & 43104kThese submarines are, from left to right:
L-4 (SS-43)&
L-10 (SS-50),
L-1 (SS-40).
At the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Pennsylvania, soon after their 1 February 1919 return to the U.S. from European waters. Ship in the immediate background is either Quinnebaug (ID-1687) or Saranac (ID-1702), with the other of the two beyond her. 		USNHC photograph # NH 51143.
L-4 & 11 59k L-11 (SS-51), at left, and L-4 (SS-43) at the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, circa 1919. Note these submarines' 3"/23 deck guns, located just forward of their fairwaters. L-11's is retracted, while that of L-4 is in operating position. USN photo # NH 103253, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center. Collection of Rear Admiral Harold F. Pullen, USN. Loaned via Captain Paul B. Ryan, USN (Retired), 1977.
SS-18, 19, 40, 43 & 50832kD-3 (SS-19), at left, and D-2 (SS-18) center at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Pennsylvania, 5 March 1919, with shipyard workmen on board. Note the ventilating fans on D-3's deck. A derrick barge is alongside D-2. Among the four submarines visible in the background are L-1 (SS-40), L-4 (SS-43) and L-10 (SS-50). A motorcycle is parked at the far left. USNHC photograph # NH 51157.
L-boats 705k Submarines right to left are L-3 (SS-42), L-4 (SS-43) & L-1 (SS-40) to Constitution at Boston Navy Yard, circa 1918-20.Photo i.d. courtesy of Ric Hednan .
Photo # 08_06_023224 courtesy of the Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection via Sean Hert & flickr.com.
L-boats 1.12k Submarines left to right are L-3 (SS-42), L-4 (SS-43) & L-1 (SS-40) of the Constitution at Boston Navy Yard, circa 1918-20.Photo courtesy of the Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection via Sean Hert & flickr.com.
View the L-4 (SS-43)
DANFS history entry located on the Haze Gray & Underway Web Site.
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