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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Patch courtesy of Don McGrogan, BMCS, USN (ret.)

V-1 (SF-4)
Barracuda (SS-163)

Radio Call Sign: November - India - Charlie - Quebec

Barracuda Class Submarine: Laid down, 20 October 1921, at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME.; Launched, 17 July 1924; Commissioned USS V-1 (SF-4), 1 October 1924; Renamed USS Barracuda, 9 March 1931; Designation changed to (SS-163), 1 July 1931; Decommissioned, 14 May 1937, at Philadelphia, PA.; Recommissioned, 5 September 1940, at Portsmouth, NH; Decommissioned, 3 March 1945, at Philadelphia Navy Yard, Philadelphia, PA.; Struck from the Naval Register, (date unknown); Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 16 November 1945.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 2,000 t., Submerged: 2620 t.; Length 341' 6" ; Beam 27' 7"; Draft 14' 7"; Speed, surfaced 21 kts, Submerged 8 kts; Depth Limit 200'; Complement, 6 officers, 50 enlisted; Armament, six 21" torpedo tubes, four forward, two aft, 12 torpedoes; one 5"/51 deck gun; Propulsion, Busch-Sulzer Diesel Engine Co., diesel engines, hp 4100; Fuel Capacity, 90,935 gal., Elliot Motor Co., electric motors, hp 2400, Battery Cells 120, twin propellers.

Size	Image Description	Source
105k	Submarine History Profiles: First true submarine: Holland (SS-01) in 1900. First U.S. Deisel submarine:E-1 (SS-24) in 1911. First Fleet boat:V-1 (SS-163) in 1922. First GUPPY: Odax (SS-484) in 1947. First nuclear powered submarine:Nautilus (SSN-571) in 1954. First submarine to completey circumnavigate the earth submerged:Triton (SSRN-586) in 1959. Latest generation of U.S. ballastic submarines:Ohio (SSBN-726), in 1980.	US Navy photo courtesy of Robert Hall. Photo i.d. courtesy of Dave Johnston.
80k	Bow view of the V-1 (SS-163) on the launching ways at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME., 16 July 1924.	Courtesy of John Hummel & ussubvetsofworldwarii.org.
50k	V-1 (SS-163) in the water with flags flying after being launched at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME, on 17 July 1924.	Photo taken from Jane's Fighting Ships 1924, & submitted by Robert Hurst. Photo added 04/17/08.
67k	V-1 (SS-163), circa 1924 - 31.	USN photo.
19k	V-1 (SS-163), circa 1924 - 31.	USN photo.
76k	From left to right; S-43 (SS-154), V-1 (SS-163), V-3 (SS-165) & Argonne (AS-10) at the sub base in Coco Solo, Panama Canal Zone. Between December 1927 and May 1932 *V-1*, served with Squadron 20 on routine operations with the fleet along the west coast, in the Hawaiian Islands, and in the Caribbean.	US Navy photo courtesy of Robert M. Cieri. Partial text courtesy of DANFS.
48k	V-1 (SS-163) entering Porto Bello Harbor in 1927.	US Navy photo courtesy of Robert M. Cieri.
154k	Battleship Maryland (BB-46); Submarine Tender Camden (AS-6); two unknown *S-boats; and two V-1 class* submarines, possibly Barracuda (SS-163), Bass (SS-164) and or Bonita (SS-165) in port in May 1927. Note the tremendous difference in size between the *S-boats* and *V-1 class* submarines.	Photo # NH 46418 courtesy of the U.S. Naval Historical Center.
113k	*V-1 class* submarines alongside Argonne (AS-10), at San Diego, California, 10 December 1927. The submarines are (from left to right): Bass (SS-164); Barracuda (SS-163) and Bonita (SS-165).	US Navy photo # NH 69094, courtesy of the San Francisco Maritime Museum, San Francisco, California, 1969, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.
129k	Argonne (AS-10) in Panama waters, 1927-1928, while en route to join the Battle Fleet. The submarines alongside her are (from outboard to inboard): The submarines are (from left to right): Bass (SS-164); Barracuda (SS-163) and Bonita (SS-165).	US Navy photo # NH 61683, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.
32k	Barracuda (SS-163) underway, circa 1931 plus.	Courtesy of Michael Mohl from the "Illustrated Directory of Submarines of the World", pg. 222, by David Miller.
89k	Barracuda (SS-163) inboard & Narwhal (SS-167) tied up circa early 1930's, possibly at San Francisco.	Photo courtesy of Jerry Crow.
113k	Holland (AS-3) at anchor during the 1930s, with Barracuda (SS-163) tied up to her port side. Dolphin (SS-169) is partially visible, tied to *Holland's* starboard side.	US Navy photo NH # 65018, courtesy of U.S. Naval Historical Center.
31k	Commemorative postal cover marking the Barracuda's (SS-163) cruise to Alaska, 22 July 1934.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
83k	Tender and submarines at dock in Juneau, Alaska, July, 1934. At far left, tender Holland (AS-3), submarines (l to r) Bass (SS-164), Bonita (SS-165), Barracuda (SS-163), Nautilus (SS-168) and Narwhal (SS-167). The mill of the Alaska Juneau Gold Mining Company is in the background.	Photo by Winter & Pond courtesy of the Alaska State Library. Submitted by Joe Radigan. Photo added 03/17/08.
86k	Holland (AS-3) with seven submarines alongside, in San Diego harbor, California, 24 December 1934. The submarines are (from left to right): Cachalot (SS-170); Dolphin (SS-169); Barracuda(SS-163); Bass (SS-164); Bonita (SS-165); Nautilus (SS-168); and Narwahl (SS-167).	Official U.S. Navy Photograph, NH # 80-G-63334 courtesy of the USNHC, now in the collections of the National Archives.
94k	Holland (AS-3) in San Diego harbor, California, circa 1935. Submarines alongside are (from outboard to inboard): Cachalot (SS-170); Barracuda(SS-163); Bass (SS-164); Bonita (SS-165); Nautilus (SS-168); and Narwahl (SS-167). Closest ship in the nest of destroyers at far right is Yarnall (DD-143).	Photo courtesy of the USNHC, NH # 82789. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.
78k	Commemorative postal cover marking: Bass (SS-164); Dolphin (SS-169); Porpoise (SS-172); Argonaut (SS-169); Nautilus (SS-168); Cuttlefish (SS-171) Barracuda (SS-163); Narwahl (SS-167) Bonita (SS-165); & Cachalot (SS-170) on Navy Day, October 27, 1935.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
184k	From left to right: S-47 (SS-158), S-42 (SS-153), S-43 (SS-154) & Barracuda (SS-163); at the sub base in Coco Solo, Panama Canal Zone, probably circa early 1936.	US Navy photo courtesy of Robert M. Cieri.
80k	With a protective awning to shield against the tropical sun, the Barracuda (SS-163) makes her way in the Panama Canal Zone, 1936.	USN photo.
69k	Commemorative postal cover marking Valentine's Day, Feb 14, 1937, issued from the Barracuda (SS-163) and commerating all the boats in her class: Bass (SS-164); *Barracuda* and Bonita (SS-165).	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
23k	Commemorative postal cover marking Barracuda's (SS-163) decommissioning, 14 May 1937, at Philadelphia, PA.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
32k	Commemorative postal cover & photo inset marking Barracuda's (SS-163) decommissioning, 14 May 1937, at Philadelphia, PA.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
23k	Commemorative postal cover marking Barracuda's (SS-163) recommission at Portsmouth, N. H. 23 September 1940 and assignment to Submarine Division 9.	Photo courtesy of Jack Treutle.
55k	Pen and ink drawing by the artist Vernon Howe Bailey in 1941/2 entitled "Barracuda (SS-163) in Drydock at Portsmouth Navy Yard, New Hampshire."	Painting #79/ 88-165-CB. Courtesy of the USNHC.
28k	Commemorative postal cover marking Barracuda's (SS-163) deep dive, 29 March 1941, following her recommission at Portsmouth, N. H. 5 September 1940 and assignment to Submarine Division 9.	Partial text courtesy of DANFS, photo courtesy of Jack Treutle.
45k	Barracuda (SS-163) underway, 29 October 1943. Note deck gun has been removed.	US Navy photo, courtesy of Mike Green.