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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
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Photo # NH 42171:  USS S-43 in harbor during the 1920s or 1930s

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS S-43 (SS-154), 1924-1946

USS S-43, a 1126-ton S-42 class submarine, was built at Quincy, Massachusetts. Commissioned in December 1924, she was based at Coco Solo, Panama Canal Zone during 1925-1927 and at San Diego, California for the next three years. Late in 1930 S-43 was sent to Hawaiian waters, her primary operating area until she was transferred to the East Coast in mid-1941.

Soon after the United States was brought into World War II in December 1941, S-43 went back to the Panama Canal Zone, where she conducted defensive patrols for a few months. In March and April 1943, the elderly submarine began a combat deployment to Australia. She made her first war patrol, in the vicinity of New Britain and New Ireland, during May and early June but her effectiveness was greatly hampered by numerous mechanical casualties. In July and early August, S-43 conducted another mission to New Ireland, in an effort to support Allied agents operating in Japanese-held territory. A third war patrol, into the Solomon Islands in September and October to assist with the Guadalcanal campaign, encountered no enemy targets.

Following that patrol, S-43 was sent back to Panama. She served in that area until April 1943, then operated off the Southern California coast until September. Overhauled in preparation for South Pacific anti-submarine training support duty, S-43 began this new assignment in April 1944 and performed similar service in Australian waters in January and February 1945. She returned to the U.S. West Coast in April and remained there for the rest of her active career. Decommissioned in October 1945, USS S-43 was sold for scrapping in December 1946.

This page features all the views we have related to USS S-43.


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: NH 42171

USS S-43 (SS-154)


In harbor during the 1920s or 1930s.
USS Langley (CV-1) is in the background.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 110KB; 740 x 600 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 78909

USS S-43 (SS-154)


In Balboa Harbor, Panama Canal Zone, during the 1920s.
USS S-44 (SS-155) is in the left center background and several ships of the U.S. Fleet are in the right distance.

Courtesy of Mrs. D.M. Corn, in memory of Dr. K.L. Rosenkrance, 1970.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 82KB; 740 x 460 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 53437

USS Holland (AS-3)


Moored off San Diego, California, circa 1930.
Submarines alongside, apparently holding inspection, are (from inboard):
USS V-3 (SF-6), later Bonita (SS-165);
USS V-2 (SF-5), later Bass (SS-164);
USS S-45 (SS-156);
USS S-43 (SS-154);
USS S-44 (SS-155); and
USS S-42 (SS-153);

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 95KB; 740 x 590 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 63094

USS Holland (AS-3)


Moored off San Diego, California, circa 1930.
Submarines alongside, to starboard, are (from inboard):
USS S-25 (SS-130);
USS S-28 (SS-133);
USS S-24 (SS-129);
USS S-27 (SS-132);
USS S-26 (SS-131); and
USS S-48 (SS-159) or USS S-46 (SS-157).
Submarines moored to Holland's port side are (from inboard):
USS V-3 (SF-6), later Bonita (SS-165);
USS V-2 (SF-5), later Bass (SS-164);
USS S-45 (SS-156);
USS S-43 (SS-154);
USS S-44 (SS-155); and
USS S-42 (SS-153);

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 86KB; 740 x 600 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 96624

19th Submarine Division


At San Diego, California, 28 July 1928, with officers and crewmen paraded on deck.
Panoramic photograph, taken by O.A. Tunnell, 521 A St., San Diego.
The first three submarines are (from inboard): S-46 (SS-157); S-42 (SS-152) and S-47 (SS-158). The other three are (in no order): S-43 (SS-154); S-44 (SS-155) and S-45 (SS-156).

Courtesy of Captain Gordon Peterson, USN.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 128KB; 1200 x 420 pixels

 
Photo #: 80-G-77065

Submarine Squadron FIVE (SubRon 5)


A Chief Torpedoman paints another "hashmark" on the Torpedo Shop scoreboard of Japanese ships claimed sunk by SubRon 5's "S-Boats", operating out of Brisbane, Australia, during April-November 1942.
Photographed on board USS Griffin (AS-13), tender to the squadron. Submarines listed on the scoreboard include S-37 (SS-142), S-38 (SS-143), S-39 (SS-144), S-40 (SS-145), S-41 (SS-146), S-42 (SS-153), S-43 (SS-154), S-44 (SS-155), S-45 (SS-156), S-46 (SS-157), and S-47 (SS-158).
The original caption dates the photo on 7 January 1943, but it may have been taken earlier, as Griffin left Australia in November 1942.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 104KB; 585 x 765 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


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Page made 7 July 2002
New image added 18 July 2003