USS S-34 (SS-139)
Encyclopedia
USS S-34 (SS-139) was an S-class submarine
United States S class submarine
The United States' S-class submarines, often simply called S-boats , were the first class of submarines built to a United States Navy design....
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...
.
S-34 was laid down on 28 May 1918 by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation
Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation
Bethlehem Steel Corporation Shipbuilding Division was created in 1905 when Bethlehem Steel Corporation acquired the San Francisco shipyard Union Iron Works in 1905...
in San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, California. She was 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 13 February 1919 sponsored by Miss Florence Hellman, 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...
on 12 July 1922 with Lieutenant Elroy L. Vanderkloot in command.
Service history
Following commissioning, S-34 was ordered to New LondonNew London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
, Connecticut, for engineering alterations by the prime contractor, the Electric Boat
Electric boat
While a significant majority of water vessels are powered by diesel engines, with sail power and gasoline engines also remaining popular, boats powered by electricity have been used for over 120 years. Electric boats were very popular from the 1880s until the 1920s, when the internal combustion...
Company. Decommissioned on 25 October 1922, she was delivered to the company which completed the work in the spring of 1923. The 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...
was recommissioned on 23 April; and, after further trials and various exercises off the East Coast and in the Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
, she returned to the West Coast, arriving at San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, California, her home port, on 6 August. For the next year and one-half, she remained based in southern 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...
, then, in 1925, she was ordered to the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. She departed from San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, California, in mid-April, arrived at the Submarine Base, Cavite
Cavite
Cavite is a province of the Philippines located on the southern shores of Manila Bay in the CALABARZON region in Luzon, just 30 kilometers south of Manila. Cavite is surrounded by Laguna to the east, Metro Manila to the northeast, and Batangas to the south...
, P.I., on 12 July; and, after voyage repairs and an overhaul, commenced operations as a unit of the Asiatic Fleet. From then until 1932, she rotated between exercises, patrols, and overhauls in the Philippines during the winter and deployments to the China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
coast in the summer for operations out of Tsingtao
Qingdao
' also known in the West by its postal map spelling Tsingtao, is a major city with a population of over 8.715 million in eastern Shandong province, Eastern China. Its built up area, made of 7 urban districts plus Jimo city, is home to about 4,346,000 inhabitants in 2010.It borders Yantai to the...
. In 1932, she was ordered back to the eastern Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. She departed Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
on 2 May and headed for Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
, whence she operated until April 1941. She then returned to San Diego.
During the remaining months of peace, S-34 provided services for the West Coast Sound School. With the attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
, defensive patrol work off the West Coast was added to her duties. However, with the new year, 1942, she and other World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
design submarines were ordered prepared for service in the northern Pacific in defense of the Aleutian Islands. She underwent overhaul at Mare Island
Mare Island
Mare Island is a peninsula in the United States alongside the city of Vallejo, California, about northeast of San Francisco. The Napa River forms its eastern side as it enters the Carquinez Strait juncture with the east side of San Pablo Bay. Mare Island is considered a peninsula because no full...
, and, in March, she moved north to the newly established submarine base at Dutch Harbor, Unalaska. On 12 April, she headed west on her first war patrol.
First war patrol
One day out, a heavy wave threw the quartermaster of the watch against the side of the bridge, and S-34 was forced to return to base to put the badly injured man ashore. Arriving on 14 April, she cleared the harbor again the same day and resumed her westward passage. On 15 April, engineering casualties and poor weather slowed her progress. The next day, the weather moderated, but intensified again on 18 April. On 20 April, she left the Bering SeaBering Sea
The Bering Sea is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It comprises a deep water basin, which then rises through a narrow slope into the shallower water above the continental shelves....
and entered the less violent, but fog shrouded, waters of the Kuril Islands
Kuril Islands
The Kuril Islands , in Russia's Sakhalin Oblast region, form a volcanic archipelago that stretches approximately northeast from Hokkaidō, Japan, to Kamchatka, Russia, separating the Sea of Okhotsk from the North Pacific Ocean. There are 56 islands and many more minor rocks. It consists of Greater...
. Two days later, off the entrance to Onekotan Strait she attacked her first enemy target, but failed to score.
The next day, S-34 moved into the Sea of Okhotsk
Sea of Okhotsk
The Sea of Okhotsk is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, lying between the Kamchatka Peninsula on the east, the Kuril Islands on the southeast, the island of Hokkaidō to the far south, the island of Sakhalin along the west, and a long stretch of eastern Siberian coast along the west and...
to take up her assigned station west of Paramushiro. Ice, two to five feet above the water, still covered the area and the boat retired through the strait to patrol on the Pacific side of the island.
24 April brought another unsuccessful attack on a merchantman and an attempt to close a warship. Two days later, the lookouts observed increased activity by enemy patrol planes. On 27 April, the S-boat
United States S class submarine
The United States' S-class submarines, often simply called S-boats , were the first class of submarines built to a United States Navy design....
again attempted to penetrate the ice, via Mushiru Strait. The same day, she returned to the Pacific; and, on 28 April she headed back to the Aleutians.
She encountered mountainous seas in the Bering Sea; but by 1 May, she was at Attu Island
Attu Island
Attu is the westernmost and largest island in the Near Islands group of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, making it the westernmost point of land relative to Alaska and the United States. It was the site of the only World War II land battle fought on the incorporated territory of the United States ,...
. Thence, she continued on to Kiska
Kiska
Kiska is an island in the Rat Islands group of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska located at . It is about long and varies in width from - Discovery :...
; remained offshore on 2 May as a storm battered the island; and, on 3 May, she replenished and moved north to intercept any enemy submarines which might be heading for the Gulf of Alaska
Gulf of Alaska
The Gulf of Alaska is an arm of the Pacific Ocean defined by the curve of the southern coast of Alaska, stretching from the Alaska Peninsula and Kodiak Island in the west to the Alexander Archipelago in the east, where Glacier Bay and the Inside Passage are found.The entire shoreline of the Gulf is...
. On 10 May, she returned to Dutch Harbor.
Refit as intelligence estimates predicting a Japanese thrust at Midway Island and the Aleutians were received, S-34 cleared Dutch Harbor on 28 May and stood west to patrol north of Attu. On 29 May, the Japanese Aleutian force sortied from Ominato and headed east, its approach to its target covered by fog and rain. On the morning of 3 June, Japanese planes bombed Dutch Harbor.
Second war patrol
From the start of her patrol until 11 June, S-34 remained in her assigned area, listening to reports, but sighting no enemy ships. On 11 June, she received news of the Japanese occupation of Kiska and orders to take "maximum offensive action." She headed for Kiska.Diverted back to Dutch Harbor, she replenished on 12 June and got underway again the same day, but returned to Attu instead of going to Kiska. She reconnoitered Sarana Bay
Sarana Bay
Sarana Bay is an inlet on the east coast of the island of Attu in the Aleutian Islands in Alaska.-References:*Merriam-Webster's Geographical Dictionary, Third Edition. Springfield, Massachusetts: Merriam-Webster, Incorporated, 1997. ISBN -0-87779-5460-0....
, Holtz Bay
Holtz Bay
Holtz Bay is an inlet on the northeast coast of the island of Attu in the Aleutian Islands in Alaska.Holtz Bay was among the landing sites of United States Army troops in the Battle of Attu on 11 May 1943, which led to the recapture of the island from the Japanese during World War...
, and Chichagof Harbor
Chichagof Harbor
Chichagof Harbor is an inlet on the northeast coast of the island of Attu in the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. It is named after Russian Admiral and polar explorer Vasily Chichagov.-References:...
; none showed any activity. On 17 June, she sighted a warship off the Semichi Islands
Semichi Islands
The Semichi Islands are a cluster of small islands in the Near Islands group of the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. They are located southeast of Attu Island and northeast of Agattu Island, near...
, but could not close the range. She then returned to Attu and, on 20 June, sighted an enemy destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
patrolling off Sarana Bay. Between 07:00 and 10:00, she sighted and lost the target twice as it moved in and out of the fog.
At 11:55, she sighted a large tanker inside the bay. Fifty minutes later, she slipped past a destroyer guarding the entrance and began maneuvering into the bay. Her target was engaged in refueling another destroyer. At 13:50, S-34 grounded at a depth of 48 feet. Run up to 25 feet, she came out of the water to the waterline; then backed off into deep water. Within five minutes, she was operating at periscope depth. The fueling destroyer had gotten underway from alongside the tanker and was racing across the intervening waters. S-34 fired two torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
es at the destroyer, forcing the enemy to swerve and pass down the submarine's port side. Unable then to bring her tubes to bear on the tanker, the S-boat swung right to avoid depth charge
Depth charge
A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare weapon intended to destroy or cripple a target submarine by the shock of exploding near it. Most use explosives and a fuze set to go off at a preselected depth in the ocean. Depth charges can be dropped by either surface ships, patrol aircraft, or from...
s. At 14:03, she bottomed in 164 feet, just inside the entrance to the bay, where she remained until 23:30.
During that time, only one destroyer was heard searching for her, the other, which had conducted the high speed attack, was heard pinging from the same spot for nine hours. She had presumably grounded after the attack, but, by 23:00, the tide had risen and she had moved to join in the search for the submarine.
At 23:30, S-34 began to make her way out of the bay. Twenty minutes later, one of the destroyers located her. The pace of the hunt was stepped up, but the quarry evaded attempts to destroy her. By 02:30 on 21 June, she had maneuvered out of the bay, lost her pursuer; and set a course for Dutch Harbor. On 26 June, S-34 moored in Dutch Harbor, whence she proceeded to Bremerton
Bremerton, Washington
Bremerton is a city in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. The population was 38,790 at the 2011 State Estimate, making it the largest city on the Olympic Peninsula. Bremerton is home to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and the Bremerton Annex of Naval Base Kitsap...
, Washington, for overhaul and training duty.
Third war patrol
On 13 September, she returned to Unalaska, and, on 14 September, she departed from Dutch Harbor on her third war patrol. Two days later, she crossed the 180th meridian; and, on 17 September, she arrived in the Semichi area and commenced crossing the Japanese supply lanes to the western Aleutians in search of targets. On 20 September, while off Buldir, her after radio mast was partially carried away by heavy seas and threatened to foul the propellers and stern planes. Despite the heavy seas, Chief Machinist's Mate B.F. Allen went over the side; cut the wreckage adrift and rigged two forward wing antennas.On 21 September, the submarine resumed her patrol off Attu, reconnoitering the approaches to its harbors. On 26 September, she was ordered to Kiska, and, on the afternoon of 28 September, she sighted a minelayer
Minelayer
Minelaying is the act of deploying explosive mines. Historically this has been carried out by ships, submarines and aircraft. Additionally, since World War I the term minelayer refers specifically to a naval ship used for deploying naval mines...
off Kiska Harbor
Kiska Harbor
Kiska Harbor is an inlet on the east coast of the island of Kiska in the Aleutian Islands in Alaska.Kiska Harbor is bounded by North Head on the north and by South Head on the south...
. The enemy, however, detected her presence before she could close the target. Destroyers joined the minelayer, and S-34 once again became the hunted. Forty minutes and 47 depth charges later, she cleared the immediate area. A week later, she sighted and closed a Kiska-bound enemy submarine; but, as the torpedoes were readied, depth control was lost; and she failed to score. On 8 October, she headed home, arriving at Dutch Harbor on 11 October.
Fourth war patrol
Storms and heavy seas abounded in the western Aleutians during S-34’s fourth war patrol, 23 October to 21 November. Operating in and across the Japanese traffic routes from Kiska to AgattuAgattu
Agattu is an island in the Near Islands in the western end of the Aleutian Islands. With a land area of 221.593 km² Agattu is one of the largest uninhabited islands in the Aleutians. It is the second largest of the Near Islands, after Attu Island. It is volcanic and considerably mountainous...
and Attu and between Paramushiro and Attu, she sighted only one possible target, a submarine which disappeared before identification could be made.
Fifth war patrol
She got underway for her fifth war patrol on 5 December. On 9 December, she resumed operations to intercept Japanese shipping between the Kurils and the Aleutians. Twenty days later, she returned to Dutch Harbor.Overhaul
In early January 1943, the S-boat sailed south. On 18 January, she arrived at San Diego where she remained until late April, undergoing overhaul; receiving radar, air conditioning, and improved communication and navigation equipment, and providing services to the West Coast Sound School. On 10 May, she returned to Dutch Harbor; and, on 13 May, she departed from that base to patrol again in the Kurils.Sixth war patrol
By 22 May, S-34 was off Paramushiro and, for the next 12 days, she patrolled in the southern approaches to the island, and in Shumushu and Paramushiro strait. On the evening of the ninth day, she torpedoed and sank a small freighter off Torishimo Retto; and, on the evening of 3 June, she cleared the area.Seventh war patrol
Arriving back at Dutch Harbor on 10 June, she departed again 11 days later. On 28 June, she approached the fog-bound Kurils; and, on 1 July, she moved toward the Kamchatka PeninsulaKamchatka Peninsula
The Kamchatka Peninsula is a peninsula in the Russian Far East, with an area of . It lies between the Pacific Ocean to the east and the Sea of Okhotsk to the west...
to locate and destroy enemy fishing vessels operating near and north of Cape Lopatka
Cape Lopatka
Cape Lopatka is the southernmost point of Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia, with the rural locality of Semenovka at its southernmost point. Cape Lopatka lies about north of Shumshu, the northernmost island of the Kuril Islands...
. On 3 July, while she was charging, fire broke out in the port motor, but was quickly extinguished. Repairs were completed on 5 July; and, on 7 July, she moved into a new area, Onekotan Island. The next day, she returned to Paramushiro. On 13 July, she sighted two ships and commenced closing the targets despite poor visibility. Shortly after noon, she launched three torpedoes, but her crew heard only thuds as they struck the target. On 15 July, she moved back into Paramushiro Strait and, on 22 July set a course for Unalaska.
Retirement
Arriving on 30 July, she moved south in early August and, at mid-month, arrived at San Diego where she provided training services through the end of World War II. Then ordered inactivated, she proceeded to San Francisco where she was decommissioned on 23 October 1945. Her name was struck from the Naval Vessel RegisterNaval 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...
the following month, and her hulk was sold for scrapping in 1946.
S-34 received one battle star for her World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
service.