USS N-5
USS N-5 (SS-57), also known as "Submarine No. 57", was an N-class coastal submarine of the United States Navy commissioned during WWI. She spent the war patrolling off the coast of New England, and was decommissioned after less than four years in service.
Design
The N-class boats designed by Electric Boat, N-1 throughN-3, also referred to as the N-1-class, were built to slightly different specifications from the other N-class submarines, which were designed by Lake Torpedo Boat, referred to as the N-4-class. The Lake submarines had a length of Template:Cvt overall, a beam of Template:Cvt, and a mean draft of Template:Convert. They displaced Template:Convert on the surface and Template:Cvt submerged. The Lake submarines had a crew of 3 officers and 26 enlisted men. They had a diving depth of Template:Cvt.Template:Sfn
For surface running, the Lake submarines were powered by two Template:Convert Busch-Sulzer diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a Template:Convert Diehl electric motor. They could reach Template:Convert on the surface and Template:Cvt underwater.Template:Sfn
The boats were armed with four 18-inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes in the bow. They carried four reloads, for a total of eight torpedoes.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn
Construction
N-5Template:'s keel was laid down on 10 April 1915, by the Lake Torpedo Boat Company, in Bridgeport, Connecticut. N-5 was launched on 22 March 1917, sponsored by Mrs. Ida Bevans, and commissioned at the New York Navy Yard, on 13 June 1918.Template:Sfn
Service history
Sailing from New York, on 20 June 1918, to New London Submarine Base, for fitting out and thence proceeding to Newport, Rhode Island, to load torpedoes. N-5 began patrols off New England and in Long Island Sound, on watch against attacks on coastal shipping by German U-boats.Template:Sfn
In August and September, she deployed under tow by a decoy ship, the schooner Template:USS.Template:Sfn On 7 September 1918, after parting tow from her escort in a heavy sea, she was mistaken by an armed transport for a U-boat and was fired upon. All 15 shells fell short and N-5 was able to proceed on to New London. She continued her patrols until 24 October, when she put into the New York Navy Yard, for repairs, and remained there following the Armistice with Germany until sailing to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on 21 February 1919.Template:Sfn
Overhauled, the submarine departed Philadelphia, on 27 March 1919, arriving at New London, on 10 April. Remaining in ordinary at the Submarine Base, until 10 March 1920, the submarine then operated off the East Coast, in training, until placed in reserve at New London, on 7 June 1920.Template:Sfn
On 1 October, N-5 sailed to the Philadelphia Navy Yard for extensive overhaul, lasting until 7 April 1921, when she returned to New London, once again being placed in ordinary.Template:Sfn
Fate
There she remained for the next year, while her main engines were removed for transfer to a newer L-class submarine. Then, towed by the fleet tug Template:USS, she moved to the Philadelphia Navy Yard, arriving on 14 April 1922. N-5 decommissioned on 19 April 1922, and was sold to Joseph G. Hitner of Philadelphia for scrap on 25 September 1922.
References
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