S-5 SUBMARINE

S-5 SUBMARINE

The Baltimore Sun, Friday, September 3, 1920 reports the Army transport ship,

The General Goethals, is standing by the S-5 U. S. Submarine, sunk in the Atlantic since

Wednesday September 1^st, to keep the vessel near the surface, until a dozen Navy ships

from various ports, on the way to salvage her arrive. The subs position in the water is almost vertical, held fast by the General Goethals with cables.

It is not known how the S-5 became disabled nor how the General Goetheal learned of

the disaster.

***

September 2, 1920, out of New York, a message revealed more information on

the plight of the S-5 submarine in distress off the Cape Henlopen coast.

A telephone buoy tossing on the waves in the path of the Army Transport General Goethals,

whose crew heard the bell on the buoy ringing, lowered a boat, reached the buoy, tapped into

the telephone line, heard a message from the S-5, that it was in distress and sinking, air running short and their machinery damaged. Need help.

The General Goethals then stood by, sent messages and kept communications by the telephone on the buoy with the S-5.

In Farmington, Connecticut, an amateur wireless operator also heard the message and

made it public and that night a wireless message from the Army vessel said the crew of the

S-5 had received air by the crew cutting a hole in the subs hull to place a air hose into her.

Another message from the Navy told that two destroyers were on their way, the

Preston and the Breckenridge , left Norfolk at 11 pm with divers and apparatus aboard.,

will reach the scene about 2 am. The battleship, Ohio, reported by wireless that she was

on her way with an electric drill and acetylene torch on board.

***

The U.S. S-5 S Submarine, left Boston Monday, September 1, 1920 after being

placed in commission . The S-5 was built at the Fore River Yards of Bethlehem Ship

Building Corporation in Quincy, Massachusetts, and is one of the newest submarines

built for the navy. It is 240 feet long, 23 feet wide, and a cruising radius of 5000 miles with maximum 15 knots speed. It is equipped with two quick firing guns, six torpedo tubes and two diesel engines.

Abstract: Friday, September 3, 1920 Baltimore Sun newspaper.