With the failure of the December 1916 effort to salvage the stranded submarine H-3, and the rejection of commercial bids for this task, the Pacific Fleet's Coast Torpedo Force decided to do the job itself. The big cruiser Milwaukee, the force flagship, had much more powerful engines than the ships used in December, and it was thought that she was capable of pulling H-3 off the sand, out through the surf and back to open water. On 7 January 1917 Milwaukee arrived off Samoa Beach, joining the monitor Cheyenne, tug Iroquois and Coast Guard cutter McCulloch. Over the next several days, after many attempts and the loss of one Sailor's life, a heavy steel towing cable was connected from H-3's bow to the stern of the cruiser, which was anchored several hundred yards offshore, just outside the surf zone.
A preliminary pull on 12 January moved the submarine a small distance from her position, which was awash when the tide was in, and nearly "high and dry" when it was out. The following night, the early hours of 13 January, would see the tide at its highest, and plans were made for an all-out effort at that time. Milwaukee's acting commanding officer, a submarine Lieutenant with very limited experience in both big ships and marine salvage, was aware of the risks presented by the strong currents, shallow water and the heavy surf so close to shore. He accordingly made arrangements to have Cheyenne and Iroquois pull the cruiser's bow northward, to counter the southward flow of the current, while Milwaukee put her full engine power into dragging the stranded submarine. (This story is continued on the next page)
This page features views concerning the efforts to salvage USS H-3 (Submarine # 30) during January 1917.
For more pictures of the loss of USS Milwaukee and
the salvage of USS H-3, see:
For views related to the stranding of this submarine in
December 1916, see:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions. |
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
For more pictures of the loss of USS Milwaukee and
the salvage of USS H-3, see:
For views related to the stranding of this submarine in
December 1916, see:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions. |
Page made 31 May 2004
Text revised 14 June 2004