 USSK-7, underway at half speed, on 3 October 1914, probably in the vicinity ofSan Francisco, California | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | K-7 |
| Builder | Union Iron Works,San Francisco, California |
| Cost | $527,148.12 (hull and machinery)[1] |
| Laid down | 10 May 1912 |
| Launched | 20 June 1914 |
| Sponsored by | Mrs. Katie-Bel McGregor |
| Commissioned | 1 December 1914 |
| Decommissioned | 12 February 1923 |
| Stricken | 18 December 1930 |
| Identification |
|
| Fate | Sold for scrapping, 3 June 1931 |
| General characteristics[2] | |
| Class & type | K-classsubmarine |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 153 ft 7 in (46.81 m) |
| Beam | 16 ft 8 in (5.08 m) |
| Draft | 13 ft 1 in (3.99 m) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion | |
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Test depth | 200 ft (61 m) |
| Capacity | 18,126 US gal (68,610 L; 15,093 imp gal) fuel |
| Complement |
|
| Armament | 4 ×18 inch (450 mm)bowtorpedo tubes (8torpedoes) |
USSK-7 (SS-38), also known as "Submarine No. 38", was aK-classsubmarine of theUnited States Navy(USN). She patrolled in theGulf of Mexico, duringWWI.
The K-class boats had alength of 153 ft 7 in (46.8 m), abeam of 16 ft 8 in (5.1 m), and a meandraft of 13 ft 1 in (4.0 m). Theydisplaced 451long tons (458 t), on the surface, and 527 long tons (535 t) submerged. They had a diving depth of 200 feet (61.0 m). The K-class submarines had a crew of 2 officers and 26 enlisted men.[3]
For surface running, the boats were powered by two 475-brake-horsepower (354 kW)NELSECOdiesel engines, each driving onepropeller shaft. When submerged eachpropeller was driven by a 170-horsepower (127 kW)electric motor. They could reach 14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph) on the surface and 10.5 kn (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph) underwater. On the surface, the boats had a range of 3,150 nmi (5,830 km; 3,620 mi) at 11 kn (20 km/h; 13 mph)[3] and 120 nmi (220 km; 140 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged.[4]
The K-class submarines were armed with four18 inch (450 mm)torpedo tubes in the bow. They carried four reloads, for a total of eight torpedoes.[4]
K-7'skeel waslaid down, on 10 May 1912, by theUnion Iron Works, atSan Francisco, California, under a subcontract fromElectric Boat Company, ofGroton, Connecticut. She waslaunched on 20 June 1914, sponsored by Mrs. Katie-Bel McGregor, daughter of the president of Union Iron Works, andcommissioned at theMare Island Navy Yard, on 1 December 1914.[5]
As a unit of the Pacific Torpedo Flotilla,K-7 sailed forSan Diego, California, on 26 December 1914, arriving 28 December, to commenceshakedown and training along the California coast. She returned to San Francisco, 4 June 1915, then departed 3 October, for experimental duty in theHawaiian Islands. Arriving atPearl Harbor, on 14 October, she conductedtorpedo and diving tests, and participated in operations developing the tactics of submarine warfare.K-7 departed Pearl Harbor, 31 October 1917, and sailed via theWest Coast, and thePanama Canal, forantisubmarine patrol duty in theGulf of Mexico.[5]
Arriving atKey West, Florida, on 8 January 1918,K-7 patrolled the shipping lanes of the Gulf of Mexico, from theFlorida Keys toGalveston Bay. She returned to Key West, fromGalveston, Texas, on 27 November, and resumed training and development operations until departing forPhiladelphia Navy Yard, on 14 April 1919. She received an overhaul from 21 April to 10 November, then resumed operations out of Key West, in theCaribbean Sea.[5]
Following additional overhaul during the latter half of 1921,K-7 resumed her training and development operations at theUnited States Naval Academy, on 19 January 1921. For more than two years, she ranged theeastern seaboard, fromHampton Roads, Virginia, toProvincetown, Massachusetts, training submariners, conducting diving experiments, and practicing underwater warfare tactics. During April and May 1921, she visited the Naval Academy, atAnnapolis, Maryland, and theUnited States Military Academy, atWest Point, New York. After conducting almost seven months of submarine instructions atNew London, Connecticut, she arrived at Hampton Roads, on 7 September 1922, for submarine flotilla operations inChesapeake Bay.[5]
Subsequently,K-7 decommissioned at Hampton Roads, on 12 February 1923. She was towed to Philadelphia, on 23 August 1924. She was struck from theNaval Vessel Register, on 18 December 1930, and sold for scrap, on 3 June 1931.[5]
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