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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

S-8 (SS-113)

S-4 Class Submarine (Government-type): Laid down, 9 November 1918, at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME.; Launched, 21 April 1920; Commissioned, USS S-8 (SS-113), 1 October 1920; Decommissioned, 11 April 1931, at Philadelphia Navy Yard, Philadelphia, PA.; Laid up in the Reserve Fleet; Struck from the Naval Register, 25 January 1937; Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 25 January 1937.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 876 t., Submerged: 1092 t..; Length 231' ; Beam 21' 10"; Draft 13' 1"; Speed, surfaced 15 kts, submerged 11 kts; Depth Limit 200'; Complement 4 Officers, 34 Enlisted; Armament, four 21" torpedo tubes, 12 torpedoes, one 4"/50 deck gun; Propulsion, diesel electric engines, New London Ship and Engine Co. diesel engines, 2,000 hp, Fuel Capacity, 36,950 gal.; Westinghouse Electric Co., electric motors, 1,200 hp, Battery Cells, 120, twin propellers.

Size	Image Description	Source
88k	Driving the first rivet, during keel laying ceremonies for the S-8 (SS-113) at the Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, Maine, 9 November 1918. Members of the ceremonial rivet driving team are identified as (from left to right): Joseph Lebinsky, Rivet Heater; Lawrence S. Adams, Rivet Passer; Captain F.W. Weiber, Riveter; Lieutenant H.F. McCarthy; and Commander F.W. Hyden.	U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 46547.
139k	S-8 (SS-113), shown in April 1921, was a C & R-type boat (similar to *S-4-9 & 14-17* built at Portsmouth Navy Yard. Of the three periscopes, #2 is an alti-periscope. Submarines sometimes flew the small metal flag atop it to warn surface craft of their presence in the hope of avoiding collision. Abaft the three periscopes is the telescoping mast. On deck are her Y-tubes (3 rats) and SC-tube. Unlike an E.B. design, this one shows all batteries concentrated forward under the crew's & officer's quarters, all of which were abaft the torpedo room. The vertical tube forward of the conning tower accomadates 4-in service ready rounds. Compared with the Holland version, these *S-boats* were much more heavily framed & more subdivided, with heavy bulkheads shown between the forward torpedo room, the accommodation space above the battery, the control room, the engine room & the motor room. Note the pipe aft, leading into the keel. In these boats something approaching an E.B. style duct keel was provided, with Kingstons under the control room & a main bilge pump (not shown) at the upper end of the curved pipe. The combination of pressure-proof bulkheads & escape hatches forward & aft made it unnecessary to modify tyhem heavily after the S-4 (SS-109) disaster.	Drawing by Jim Christley. Text courtesy of U.S. Submarines Through 1945, An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman. Naval Institute Press.
42k	S-8 (SS-113) at the Cavite Navy Yard, Philippine Islands, circa 1921-1924.	U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 103259. Collection of Chief Engineman Virgil Breland, USN. Donated by Mrs. E.H. Breland, 1979.
234k	The S-8 (SS-113) in 1924. Inscribed on the photo is a comment about their record run from China to Frisco without a breakdown. The contributors father was James Everett Gholson who served on as Seaman 1st Class & Ships Cook 3rd Class.	Photo courtesy of James Edward Gholson. Photo added 01/23/08.
80k	The S-6 (SS-111) & S-8 (SS-113) circa 1924 - 26. On 30 December 1924, *S-6* and her division (SubDiv 12) arrived at Mare Island, Calif. They operated along the west coast until 15 February 1927; in the Panama Canal area during March and April; then returned to New London on 3 May to operate along the New England coast.	Photo courtesy of James Edward Gholson. Text courtesy of DANFS. Photo added 01/23/08.
44k	The S-8 (SS-113) underway during the 1920s.	USNI / USN photo.
103k	The Submarine Tender Holland (AS-3) in port, with several *S-boats* type submarines alongside, circa 1926. Note the Submarine Division Eleven insignia on the fairwaters of the two inboard subs. Submarines present are (from inboard to outboard): unidentified; S-25 (SS-130): S-7 (SS-112): S-4's (SS-109): S-6 (SS-111) & S-8 (SS-113).	U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 53436.
115k	The Submarine Tender Camden (AS-6) photographed circa the middle or later 1920s, with ten *S-boats* alongside. The submarines are (on *Camden's* starboard side, from left to right): S-18 (SS-123) & unidentified Electric Boat type *S-boat; S-19* (SS-124); S-12 (SS-117); and an unidentified Government type *S-boat. On Camden'sport side, from left to right: Unidentified Government type S-boat; S-7* (SS-112); S-8 (SS-113); S-9 (SS-114); and S-3 (SS-107).	U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph NH 100459.Collection of Vice Admiral Dixwell Ketcham, USN.
131k	The S-8 (SS-113) possibly at New London, circa late 1920's.	US Navy photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
43k	S-8 (SS-113) in dry dock, note stern plane arrangement. It seems to be one large plate with a single ram for moving it.	US Navy photo courtesy of Milne Special Collections, University of New Hampshire Library, Durham, N.H. Photo and text contributed by Ric Hedman/rddesigns.com.
74k	The S-8 (SS-113); S-3 (SS-107); S-4 (SS-109) & S-6 (SS-111) at Portsmouth, NH. The boat on far left can't be identified.	US Navy photo courtesy of Milne Special Collections, University of New Hampshire Library, Durham, N.H. Photo and text contributed by by Ric Hedman/rddesigns.com.
99k	Port side upper torpedo tube shutter of the S-8 (SS-113) in the partially open position, showing double batten arrangement. Photographed at the Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, Maine, 9 September 1927. Note the chain at right.	U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 41750.
91k	Port side upper torpedo tube shutter of the S-8 (SS-113) in the open position, showing double batten arrangement. Photographed at the Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, Maine, 9 September 1927. Note the chain at right.	U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 41751.
86k	Port side upper torpedo tube shutter of the S-8 (SS-113) in the closed position, showing double batten arrangement. Photographed at the Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, Maine, 9 September 1927. Note *S-8's* stem at left, and limber holes in her outer hull plating.	U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 41752.
68k	S-8's (SS-113) starboard side upper torpedo tube shutter in the closed position, showing double batten arrangement. Photographed at the Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, Maine, 9 September 1927.	U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 41753.
66k	The S-8 (SS-113) in drydock, date and location unknown.	US Navy photo courtesy of Milne Special Collections, University of New Hampshire Library, Durham, N.H. Photo and text contributed by Ric Hedman/rddesigns.com.