$2 Florida Keys Sea Heritage Journal VOL. 15, NO. 2 WINTER 2004/05 USS SHARK OFFICIAL QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF THE KEY WEST MARITIME HISTORICAL SOCIETY SS-81: a Sub’s Story By Thomas Neil Knowles Copyright 2005 Among the photographs historian Wright Langley collected over the years was one taken during World War II of a submarine that had been hoisted upon the cradle of the marine railway at the Key West Naval Station (page 1). The photographer is unknown and there was no notation with the negative explaining why that particular picture was taken, although the impressive sight of a mass of steel 186 feet long and as tall as a three story building on the ways would be reason enough. The sub appeared to be of World War I vintage and to have seen many years of service. There was nothing SS-81 rests her 569 tons on a complex arrangement of support blocks positioned to suggest that this boat was of to prevent the hull from being deformed by its weight. For an idea of the size of the huge marine cradle, note the man standing on the floor below and the left any historic significance; however, of the sub’s stern. Key West Naval Station 1941. Photo credit: Wright Langley some research scraped away the rust Archives. and barnacles of time and revealed her hidden story. Incredibly, this 1919, seven months before the hull was constructed of riveted steel submarine had played a role in armistice ending World War I was plates and had been tested to a depth saving the aviation arm of the U. signed, she was commissioned the of 200 feet, although in later years S. Navy. USS R-4. In July 1920 the Navy the accumulated stress on the rivets The boat was one of twenty began assigning hull numbers and restricted the sub to dives of 90 feet. coastal and harbor defense the submarine was designated The eight, 21” torpedoes carried submarines of the R-1 class SS-81. The R-1 class subs didnot aboard could be fired from four authorized by the Congress in have names; SS-81 was often torpedo tubes mounted in the bow. 1916. The keel was laid down at a referred to as USS R-4 (SS-81) or The narrow deck running forward shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts simply as “R-4”. from the conning tower bulged out in October 1917 with launching SS-81 carried a crew of two following a year later. In March officers and 27 enlisted men. The (Continued on page 8) Soceity News By Tom & Lynda Hambright The Florida Keys Sea Heritage Monica Faraldo speaking to the Society at the Library in January. Photo credit: Journal is published quarterly. Ed Little. Subscription is available through The Society continues with its Diary begins in April 1942. On page membership. Copyright 2005 by lectures and field trips. During three is a reprint of the introduction the Key West Maritime Historical November, we had a presentation to the diary that has a summary of Society of the Florida Keys, Inc. by Commander George Sherman events, from the start of the war to The art on the masthead, the USS and his exploits in World War II and April and a summary of the forces Shark, was drawn by Bill Muir. his part in recovering the Japanese then available to the command. We code that played an important part will have other parts of the Diary in Editor: Lynda Hambright in our victory in the Pacific. In future issues of the Journal. Production:Tom Hambright January Monica Fardalo shared The Florida Keys Sea Heritage her findings from an archaeology Journal is now on the internet. The Letters and articles are welcome. excavation at the Audubon house. In Key West Art and Historical Society Please write to: Editor, Florida Keys February Tom gave a presentation has agreed to carry the Journal. The Sea Heritage Journal, KWMHS, P.O. on the Spanish America War and address is “http://www.kwahs.com”. Box 695, Key West, FL 33041. the boys of 1898. On the home page look for the USS Key West Maritime During the 50th anniversary of Shark as seen on our masthead. Historical Society World War Two we wrote articles Two other web-sites of interest Board of Directors about the war and the effect on the are the Monroe County Library site Florida Keys. During this time we that has photos and the origin of President: Edward J.Little,Jr. searched for the records that could keys names. The address is “http: Vice President: Winifred Fryzel be found. One of the documents we //www.mile-markers.org.”The Secretary: Corey Malcom Treasurer: Lynda Hambright could not find was the War Diary of other site has the Sanborn Maps. the Gulf Sea Frontier. Chief Warrant The maps were for fire insurance Shauna Cameron Officer Anthony Atwood, who had purposes. They show to the foot- Tom Hambright the article on the Battleship Main print of the building in Key West Mary Haffenreffer Plot, in the last issue, found the on the date of the maps and we use Nancy Jameson microfilm of the diary and we were them to help determine the age of John Jones Sheri Lohr able to get a copy for the Monroe buildings. The Key West maps on- Don Lowe County Library. The seventeen rolls line are 1889, 1892, 1899 and 1912. T.J. McDermott of microfilm are now available in The site is “http:// web.uflib.ufl.edu/ Julie McEnroe the Florida History Room. The digital/collections/Ephemeralcities/. William McKinley John Viele New Member Cape Air, Key West Airport; Ray NY; Brenda Trovato, Hyannis, & Shirley Henderson, Albury, MA; Schooner Western Union; VT; Diana Latham, Mineola, Washington Street Inn, Key West. 2 - FLORIDA KEYS SEA HERITAGE JOURNAL - WINTER 2004/05 Gulf Sea Frontier War Diary Following is the introduction to Gulf Sea Frontier War Diary written in March 1942. Headquarter Commander Gulf Sea Frontier Key West, Florida War Diary March 31, 1942 Subj: Gulf Sea Frontier Force Introduction The Commander, Gulf Sea Frontier, as Task Force Commander of the Gulf Sea Frontier Force will The Gulf Sea Frontier boundary was west and north of the line drawn on the map commence keeping a daily War above. Photo credit: Monroe County Library. Diary on April 1, 1942, as required by the Chief of Naval Operations South Carolina. The forces Commander of the Gulf Patrol and Commander-in-Chief, U.S. available to him for formation of was transferred from Commander, Fleet joint letter Serial #291 of the Southern Naval Coastal Frontier Southern Naval Coastal February 22, 1942. Force were the Coast Guard and Frontier (Com SIX) to Assistant Since the Gulf Sea Frontier Force Inshore Patrol forces, comprising Commandant, Seventh Naval is composed of a number of aircraft the Naval Local Defense Force of District - Captain R.S. Crenshaw, and surface vessels operating the Sixth, Seventh and Eight Naval located at Key West, Florida. from assigned bases and covering District, The Gulf Patrol, composed The Seventh Naval District assigned areas at sea adjacent to of the vessels of the Sound School, Local Defense Force was already these bases, it is not practical to based at Key West, a Task Group organized and functioning under the include position reports in the of the Atlantic Fleet, was operating Assistant Commandant. Diary as called for in paragraph under order to be ready to take On February 1, 1942, the 1(d) of the General Instructions for action against enemy vessels Headquarters of the Commandant preparation of daily War Diaries, in Florida Straits and Yucatan Seventh Naval District was moved Weather, meteorological and sea Channels and approaches thereto. from Navy Yard, Charleston, S.C. information will not be included The Gulf Patrol was available to to Naval Station, Key West, Florida except when it is such as to directly the Commander, Southern Naval and Captain Crenshaw named effect operations. Coastal Frontier in emergencies. Acting Commandant, Seventh A brief summary of the formation, The senior operation plan in effect Naval District. organization, composition, and was U.S. Atlantic fleet Operation On February 4, 1942, Nassau operation of the Gulf Sea Frontier Plan 7G-41. This Operation Plan and Duval Counties in northeast Force from the beginning of the was revised and superseded by Florida were transferred from the War to date follows as a part of this U.S. Atlantic Fleet Operation Plan Seventh Naval District to the Sixth Introduction. 6-41, dated December 20, 1941, Naval district. The Sixth Naval Upon the outbreak of War, which plan continued in effect until District was transferred from the December 7, 1941, the present superseded by U.S. Atlantic Fleet Southern to North Atlantic Naval Gulf Sea Frontier was a part of the Operation Plan No. 1-42, dated Coastal Frontier, leaving the Southern Naval Coastal Frontier. March 4, 1942. The U.S. Atlantic Coastal Frontier of the Seventh and The Commander, Southern Fleet Operation Plan No. 1-42 is Eight Naval Districts comprising Naval Coastal Frontier was the the senior operation plan in effect the new Southern Naval Coastal Commandant, Sixth Naval District, on April 1, 1942. Frontier. Commandant, Seventh located at Navy Yard, Charleston, On January 4, 1942, the (Continued on page 4) WINTER 2004/05 - FLORIDA KEYS SEA HERITAGE JOURNAL - 3 (Diary from page 3) in Lat. 20-35 N. Long. 83-39 W. available to Commander, Gulf Sea Naval District was ordered as Three depth charge attacks were Frontier Force. The Carnelian and Commander, Southern Naval made.