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USS H-3 (SS-30)
Encyclopedia
USS H-3 (SS-30) was a H-class
submarine
originally named Garfish, the only ship of the United States Navy
named for the garfish
, a popular target for recreational anglers.
Garfish was laid down by the Moran Company of Seattle, Washington
. She was renamed H-3 on 17 November 1911, launched
on 3 July 1913 sponsored by Ms. Helen MacEwan, and commissioned
at Puget Sound
on 16 January 1914, Lieutenant, junior grade
William R. Munroe in command.
and began operations along the coast from lower California
to Washington, exercising frequently with and .
H-3 ran aground in heavy fog while attempting to enter Humboldt Bay on the morning of 16 December 1916. The crew were rescued by Coast Guard
breeches buoy. Storm surf pushed H-3 high up on a sandy beach, surrounded by quicksand. At low tide, she was 75 ft (22.9 m) from the water, but at high tide, the ocean reached almost 250 ft (76.2 m) beyond her. The submarine crew pitched camp on the Samoa, California
beach near their stranded submarine, while the tug
steamed from Mare Island Navy Yard to attempt salvage. Combined efforts of Iroquois and were unable to dislodge H-3, so both ships returned to Mare Island while the Navy requested bids from commercial salvage firms. Only two bids were received. The largest marine salvage firm on the west coast offered to pull the submarine into deep water offshore for $150,000 and the Mercer-Fraser Company of Eureka
offered to pull the submarine over the Samoa peninsula into Humboldt Bay for $18,000.
Navy officials at Mare Island regarded the lumber company proposal as infeasible and felt the salvage firm bid was excessive. The protected cruiser
sailed from Mare Island to tow H-3 off the beach. Milwaukee grounded attempting salvage on 13 January 1917 and broke up in the pounding surf.
H-3 was temporarily decommissioned on 4 February while the lumber company salvage bid was accepted. H-3 was placed on giant log rollers and taken overland to be relaunched into Humboldt Bay on 20 April.
She then returned to San Pedro, California, where she served as flagship
of Submarine Division 7 (SubDiv 7), participating in exercises and operations along the coast until 1922. H-3, with the entire division, sailed from San Pedro on 25 July and reached Hampton Roads
on 14 September.
H-3 decommissioned at Hampton Roads
on 23 October. She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register
on 18 December 1930 and scrapped on 14 September 1931.
United States H class submarine
The United States H class submarines were Holland 602 type submarines used by the United States Navy.The first three submarines of the class were laid down in March-April 1911 as , and Garfish, and were renamed H-1, H-2 and H-3 while still under construction...
submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
originally named Garfish, the only ship of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
named for the garfish
Garfish
The garfish , or sea needle, is a pelagic, oceanodromous needlefish found in brackish and marine waters of the Eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea, the Baltic Sea, etc. The fish lives close to the surface and has a migratory pattern similar to that of the mackerel, arriving a short time before...
, a popular target for recreational anglers.
Garfish was laid down by the Moran Company of Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. She was renamed H-3 on 17 November 1911, launched
Ship naming and launching
The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old.-Methods of launch:There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching." The oldest, most familiar, and most widely...
on 3 July 1913 sponsored by Ms. Helen MacEwan, and commissioned
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
at Puget Sound
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
on 16 January 1914, Lieutenant, junior grade
Lieutenant, Junior Grade
Lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer rank in the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, United States Merchant Marine USMM, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, with the pay grade...
William R. Munroe in command.
Service history
After shakedown, H-3 was attached to the Pacific FleetUnited States Pacific Fleet
The United States Pacific Fleet is a Pacific Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources under the operational control of the United States Pacific Command. Its home port is at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii. It is commanded by Admiral Patrick M...
and began operations along the coast from lower California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to Washington, exercising frequently with and .
H-3 ran aground in heavy fog while attempting to enter Humboldt Bay on the morning of 16 December 1916. The crew were rescued by Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
breeches buoy. Storm surf pushed H-3 high up on a sandy beach, surrounded by quicksand. At low tide, she was 75 ft (22.9 m) from the water, but at high tide, the ocean reached almost 250 ft (76.2 m) beyond her. The submarine crew pitched camp on the Samoa, California
Samoa, California
Samoa is a census-designated place in Humboldt County, California. It is located northwest of Eureka, at an elevation of 23 feet . Samoa is located in the northern peninsula of Humboldt Bay and is the site of the Samoa Cookhouse, one of the last remaining original, lumber style cookhouses...
beach near their stranded submarine, while the tug
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
steamed from Mare Island Navy Yard to attempt salvage. Combined efforts of Iroquois and were unable to dislodge H-3, so both ships returned to Mare Island while the Navy requested bids from commercial salvage firms. Only two bids were received. The largest marine salvage firm on the west coast offered to pull the submarine into deep water offshore for $150,000 and the Mercer-Fraser Company of Eureka
Eureka, California
Eureka is the principal city and the county seat of Humboldt County, California, United States. Its population was 27,191 at the 2010 census, up from 26,128 at the 2000 census....
offered to pull the submarine over the Samoa peninsula into Humboldt Bay for $18,000.
Protected cruiser
The protected cruiser is a type of naval cruiser of the late 19th century, so known because its armoured deck offered protection for vital machine spaces from shrapnel caused by exploding shells above...
sailed from Mare Island to tow H-3 off the beach. Milwaukee grounded attempting salvage on 13 January 1917 and broke up in the pounding surf.
H-3 was temporarily decommissioned on 4 February while the lumber company salvage bid was accepted. H-3 was placed on giant log rollers and taken overland to be relaunched into Humboldt Bay on 20 April.
She then returned to San Pedro, California, where she served as flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
of Submarine Division 7 (SubDiv 7), participating in exercises and operations along the coast until 1922. H-3, with the entire division, sailed from San Pedro on 25 July and reached Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
on 14 September.
H-3 decommissioned at Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
on 23 October. She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register
Naval Vessel Register
The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...
on 18 December 1930 and scrapped on 14 September 1931.