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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

S-25 (SS-130)


S-25 served both the US and Polish Navies (Lend Lease from U.K.)

S-18 Class Submarine (Holland-type): Laid down, 16 October 1918, at Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp., Quincy MA.; Launched, 20 May 1922; Commissioned, USS S-25 (SS-130), 9 July 1923; On 4 November 1941 she was Decommissioned from the U.S., transferred to the United Kingdom & commissioned into the Royal Navy as P 551 & subsequently transferred (lend-leased) to the Polish Navy and re-named ORP Jastrzab (Polish for Hawk). This happened under the agreement between the governments of Great Britain and the Polish government in exile in the U.K. on 3rd December 1940.
The Polish flag was raised on Jastrzab on 4 November 1941 in New London.
Final Disposition: Accidentally sunk on first operational patrol by allied escorts, Norwegian destroyer St. Albans ex-USS Thomas (DD-182) and minesweeper HMS Seagull off Norway, 2 May 1942. These vessels were assigned as escorts for convoy PQ-15 bound for Murmansk, en route, they subsequently encountered icebergs on their way & got off course about 70 miles to the south, accidentally entering into the operational sector of Jastrzab (based on other sources Jastrzab was some way out of planned position). In any event, the submarine was detected by the escorts & the Jastrzab was badly damaged by depth charges and forced to the surface; there she was strafed, despite showing yellow recognition smoke candles.) Five of her crew were lost, including the British radio operating officer and six injured, including the commander.
In September 1942 the crew of Jastrzab was decorated with Cross of Valour, and later received (lend-lease) a new U.K. built submarine. She was active in the Mediterranean and called ORP Dzik.{Boar)
On 13 July 1943, a Royal Navy Court found the commanders of St. Albans and HMS Seagull guilty of sinking Allied units not in their assigned operational sector.
Text courtesy of Hubert Gosciniak.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 854 t., Submerged: 1,062 t.; Length 219' 3" ; Beam 20' 8"; Draft 15' 11"(mean); Depth Limit 200'; Speed, Surfaced 14.5 kts, Submerged 11 kts; Complement, 4 Officers, 34 Enlisted; Armament, four 21" torpedo tubes, 12 torpedoes, one 4"/50 deck gun; Propulsion, diesel-electric, New London Ship & Engine diesel engines, hp 1200, Fuel Capacity, 41,192 gals.; Ridgeway Dynamo & Electric Co., electric motors, hp 1500, Battery Cells, 120, twin propellers.
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SS 129, SS 130 & SS 133 379k S-24 (SS-129), S-25 (SS-130) & S-28 (SS-133) at Groton, CT, 4 May 1923. US Navy photo # 19-N-10271, from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), courtesy of Daniel Dunham.
SS 130 341k Stern view of the S-25 (SS-130) on a temporary wooden platform at Groton, CT, 5 July 1923. US Navy photo # 19-N-10273, from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), courtesy of Daniel Dunham.
SS 131 123k S-25 (SS-130) is seen on the Marine Railway at the Boston Navy Yard on 22 Oct. 1923. Boston Navy Yard photo # 7158, National Park Service, Boston National Historical Park, cat. no. BOSTS-14143 courtesy of Stephen P. Carlson, Preservation Specialist, Boston NHP, Charlestown Navy Yard.
SS 130 135k Portside view of the S-25 (SS-130) possibly off New London, CT., during 1923 - 24.
 US Navy photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
SS 109103k 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 (SS-109):
S-6 (SS-111) &
S-8 (SS-113).
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 53436.
Savannah 93k Savannah (AS-8) at anchor with two submarines moored to her port side, during the 1920s. The outboard submarine is S-25 (SS-130).
 US Navy photo # NH 67870, from U.S. Naval Historical Center, courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1969.
Savannah 114k Savannah (AS-8) at Portland, OR., during the 1920s. Submarines alongside are (from left to right): S-27 (SS-132), S-29 (SS-134) and S-25 (SS-130). Photo by Peck.
US Navy photo # NH 71012 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.
Photo donated to the US Naval Historical Center by LT. Gustave Freret, USN (Retired), 1970.
SS 130 106k Portside view of the S-25 (SS-130) with crew on deck in moderate seas, during the 1920s.
 US Navy photo courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
SS 130 106k Bow on view of the S-25 (SS-130) at fuel dock, probably off Southern California, circa 1926-28.
 Photo courtesy of Phil Lucy.
SS 130 81k Deck gun of the S-25 (SS-130), probably off Southern California, circa 1926-28.
 Photo courtesy of Phil Lucy.
SS 130 & 131 108k S-25 (SS-130) and S-26 (SS-131) in dry-dock, circa 1926-28, at Mare Island.
 Photo courtesy of Phil Lucy.
SS 130 & 131163k Port quarter view looking to aft end of the S-26 (SS-131) & S-25(SS-130), in Mare Island dry dock about 1926-28. Photo courtesy of Phil Lucy.
SS 131 116k Torpedo room of the S-25 (SS-130), circa 1926-28.
 Photo courtesy of Phil Lucy.
SS 131 190k S-25's (SS-130) crew poses between 1932 and 1933.
Among the crew members pictured is the XO of the S-25, Louis Shane Jr., who would subsequently go on to climb the command ladder and rise to the rank of Lieutenant Commander (Commanding Officer) of the Shark (SS-174), the first U.S. sub lost at sea, 11 Feb 42. 		Photo courtesy of John Shane.
SS 130 431k Broadside port view of the S-25 (SS-130) in Hawaii, probably circa late 1930's.
US Navy photo # 19-N-17946, from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), courtesy of Daniel Dunham. Photographed probably by Tai Sing Loo.
ORP Jastrzab
Dutch Harbor 902k The handing over ceremony to rename the ex-American S-class submarine S-25 (SS-130) ORP Jastrzab (ex-HMS P.511)
Lt.Cmdr. Bolesaw Romanowski waits for officials in front of the crew. 		Photo from the book Wielkie dni ma?ej floty (Big day, A small fleet) by Jerzy Pertek, Wydawnictwo Poznaskie, 1976 via Robert Hurst.
Photo added 01/07/12.
SS 130 5k Location where the Jastrzab, ex-S-25 (SS-130) was mistakenly sunk by the Norwegian destroyer St. Albans and the British minesweeper HMS Seagull in the Norwegian Sea in position 71º30'N, 12º32'E., 5 men died. Photo & text courtesy of Great Circle Mapper - © Karl L Swartz / uboat.net.
SS 130 95k Google Earth satellite photo of the location where the Jastrzab, ex-S-25 (SS-130) was mistakenly sunk.
View courtesy of Google Earth.
View the S-25 (SS-130)
DANFS history entry located on the Haze Gray & Underway Web Site.
Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
Fleet Reserve Association
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