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

V-7 (SF-10 / SC-3)
Dolphin (SS-169)
Keel Laying - Fitting Out

Radio Call Sign: November - India - Charlie - Zulu
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Active Service

Dolphin Class Submarine: Authorized as V-7 (SF-10), re-designated (SC-3), Laid down, as V-7 (SC-3),14 June 1930, at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME.; Launched, 6 March 1932; Commissioned USS Dolphin (SS-169), 1 July 1932; Decommissioned, 12 October 1945, at Portsmouth Navy Yard, NH; Struck from the Naval Register, 24 October 1945; Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 26 August 1946. Dolphin earned 2 battle stars for her service during World War II.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 1,560 t., Submerged: 2,215 t.; Length 319' 1" ; Beam 27' 11"; Draft 13' 1"; Speed, surfaced 17 kts, submerged 8 kts; Depth Limit 250'; Complement 5 officers 52 enlisted; Armament, four 21" torpedo tubes forward, two 21" torpedo tubes aft, 18 torpedoes; one 4"/50 deck gun, four 30 cal. mgs.; Propulsion, diesel electric, Maschinfabrik - Augusburg- Nurnburg, New York Navy Yard diesel engines, hp 3500, Fuel Capacity, 103,018 gal., Electro Dynamic Electric Motor Co., electric motors, hp 1750, Battery Cells 240, twin propellers.
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For Full Size Image		Size Image Description Source
SS-169 54k Driving of first rivet in laying of keel of submarine V-7 (SC-3), later renamed Dolphin (SS-169) at the Portsmouth (New Hampshire) Naval Shipyard, 14 June 1930. U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Milne Collection at the University of New Hampshire.
SS 169 137k Dolphin's (SS-169) LH GEN Engine,” June 1931. Photo No. f128c211 from the Brooklyn Navy Yard Archive - courtesy National Archive and Records Administration, Northeast Region - NYC, Record Group 181 via flicker.com.
SS 169 179k Dolphin's (SS-169) Main Engine LH,” Aug. 1931 Photo No. f128c230 from the Brooklyn Navy Yard Archive - courtesy National Archive and Records Administration, Northeast Region - NYC, Record Group 181 via flicker.com.
SS 169 220k Dolphin's (SS-169) Starboard Main Engine 6-A-20 7/8-R 1750 BHP AT 380 RPM, ready for shipment, Aug. 1931 Photo No. f128c235 from the Brooklyn Navy Yard Archive - courtesy National Archive and Records Administration, Northeast Region - NYC, Record Group 181 via flicker.com.
SS 169 153k Dolphin's (SS-169) crew line the deck, possibly during her commissioning on 1 July 1932.
US Navy photo courtesy of Megan Edwards.
SS 169 70k Most probably a Division photo of Dolphin's (SS-169) Machinist Mates.
US Navy photo courtesy of Megan Edwards. Photo i.d. & text courtesy of Ric Hedman & Col. John Hart.
SS 169 392k Looking down from the Dolphin's (SS-169) fairwater at Portsmouth Navy Yard before entering the Dry Dock, 30 Sept. 1932.
 US Navy photo courtesy of Ed Zajkowski.
SS 169 265k Port side view showing open torpedo tubes and diving planes housed while in Dry Dock in Portsmouth Navy Yard, 30 Sept. 1932.
 US Navy photo courtesy of Ed Zajkowski.
SS 169 313k Bow view while in Dry Dock at Portsmouth Navy Yard, 30 Sept. 1932.
Dolphin (SS-169) sailed from Portsmouth 24 October 1932 for San Diego arriving 3 December to report to Submarine Division 12. She served on the west coast, taking part in tactical exercises and test torpedo firings until 4 March 1933 when she got underway for the east coast. 		Partial text courtesy of DANFS. US Navy photo courtesy of Ed Zajkowski. Neg # 269/32.
SS 169 295k Quarter view showing rigging while in Dry Dock at Portsmouth Navy Yard, 30 Sept. 1932.
 US Navy photo courtesy of Ed Zajkowski.
SS 169 301k Stern view showing her two torpedo tubes while in Dry Dock at Portsmouth Navy Yard, 30 Sept. 1932.
 US Navy photo courtesy of Ed Zajkowski. Neg # 277/32.
SS 169 361k Close up of the starboard side from floor of Dry Dock showing docking keel blocks at Portsmouth Navy Yard, 30 Sept. 1932.
 US Navy photo courtesy of Ed Zajkowski. Neg # 279/32.
SS-169 82k Dolphin (SS-169) underway, circa 1932. NH # 54542, courtesy of U.S. Naval Historical Center.
SS 169 105k Dolphin (SS-169) appears to be in the Panama Canal.
She sailed from Portsmouth 24 October 1932 for San Diego arriving 3 December to report to Submarine Division 12. 		Patial text courtesy of DANFS.
US Navy photo courtesy of Darryl Baker.
SS 169 178k Bridge looking forward, Portsmouth Navy Yard, 4 July 1933.
 US Navy photo courtesy of Ed Zajkowski. Neg # 187/33.
SS 169 240k Bridge (in-closed) looking forward, Portsmouth Navy Yard, 4 July 1933.
An object in the background caught the eye of Dave Johnston (USNR). It spurred a flurry of emails as he ran it by Ric Hedman and Jim Christley and they came up with the following conclusions:
The large circular object on top of Dolphin's bridge is most likely a watertight storage tub for large 4x35 non-folding prism mirror long spyglasses. Originally thought to be too large and clumsy to be quickly taken below in the advent of a crash dive, a watertight storage solution topside was sought and this is what the designers came up with. The Officer of the Deck and lookout(s) would quickly stash their spyglasses in this tub, shut and dog the lid, then proceed below upon the start of a dive. Rapid refinements in optical technology resulted in the introduction of smaller, lightweight 7x50 binoculars and the need for such a tub in this position on the bridge quickly faded. The only other boat to be seen with such a structure so far is Cuttlefish (SS-171) so it may have been one of those features that (as Jim Christley put it) "seemed like a good idea at the time", but was later shown to be unnecessary.
Other ideas for the tub included a brass watertight housing for a magnetic compass. This was suggested by Ric Hedman, based on his experience with a similar structure on a Russian submarine. However it was pointed out that the magnetic compass is located directly behind the helm wheel, evidenced by the flip lid on the vertical column where the compass rose would be read, and the presence of the two steel compensating spheres on either side of this column.
Dave Johnston speculated that the tub might be storage for a blinker/searchlight, but this is unlikely due to the lack of this feature on any other boat except Cuttlefish.
Jim correctly pointed out that we may never know for sure what it is, unless some old salt can point to it and say, "Yep that thing is a..." 		Photo & text i.d. courtesy of Jim Christley, Ric Hedmen & Dave Johnston (USNR).
US Navy photo courtesy of Ed Zajkowski. Neg # 188/33.
SS 169 342k Conning tower, fairwater & bell of the Dolphin (SS-169) on 5 July 1933. She arrived at Portsmouth Navy Yard 23 March for final trials and acceptance, remaining there until 1 August.
Partial text courtesy of DANFS. US Navy photo courtesy of Ed Zajkowski.
SS 169 304k View looking aft, Portsmouth Navy Yard, 5 July 1933.
 US Navy photo courtesy of Ed Zajkowski. Neg # 178/33.
SS 169 222k A surfaced Dolphin (SS-169), possibly during summer of 1933. US Navy photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
SS 169 147k Color post card of pre war Dolphin (SS-169). Photo courtesy of Arnold Putnam.
Photo added 06/06/11.
View the Dolphin (SS-169)
DANFS history entry located on the Haze Gray & Underway
Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
Fleet Reserve Association
Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Ep-21 (1) - Victory At Sea ~ Full Fathom Five - HQ
USS Dolphin, Report of Pearl Harbor Attack
Through the Looking Glass, A Historic Look at Submarines.
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