View source for USS H-1

{{Short description|H-class submarine of the United States}}
{{other ships|USS Seawolf}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2025}}

{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=USS H-1;H69853.jpg
|Ship caption= USS ''H-1'', ex-''Seawolf'', off the [[Mare Island Navy Yard]], California, 30 January 1914
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{USN flag|1920}}
|Ship name= ''Seawolf''
|Ship namesake= The [[Seawolf (fish)|seawolf]]
|Ship builder=[[Union Iron Works]], [[San Francisco]], California
|Ship original cost= $510,428.77 (hull and machinery){{sfn|Navy List|1921|p=766}}
|Ship laid down= 22 March 1911
|Ship launched= 6 May 1913
|Ship sponsor= Miss Leslie Makins
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned= 1 December 1913
|Ship decommissioned=
|Ship struck=12 April 1920
|Ship renamed= ''H-1'' (Submarine No.28), 17 November 1911
|Ship identification=* [[Hull classification symbol#Submarine type|Hull symbol]]: SS-28 (17 July 1920)
*[[Maritime call sign|Call sign]]: NYC
*{{ICS|November}}{{ICS|Yankee}}{{ICS|Charlie}}
|Ship fate= [[Ship grounding|Grounded]] on a shoal, 12 March 1920
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption= {{sfn|Priolo|H-1}}
|Ship type= [[United States H-class submarine|H-class]] [[submarine]]
|Ship displacement=* {{cvt|358|LT|0|lk=in}} surfaced
* {{cvt|467|LT|0}} submerged
|Ship length= {{cvt|150|ft|4|in}}
|Ship beam= {{cvt|15|ft|10|in}}
|Ship draft= {{cvt|12|ft|5|in}}
|Ship power=* {{cvt|950|hp|lk=in}} (diesel engines)
* {{cvt|600|hp}} (electric motors)
|Ship propulsion=
*2 × [[New London Ship and Engine Company|NELSECO]] [[diesel engine]]s
*2 × [[Electro-Dynamic Company|Electro Dynamic]] [[electric motor]]s
*2 × 60-[[electrochemical cell|cell]] [[battery (electrical)|batteries]]
*2 × [[Propeller]]s
|Ship speed=* {{cvt|14|kn|lk=in}} surfaced
* {{cvt|10.5|kn}} submerged
|Ship range=* {{cvt|2300|nmi}} at {{cvt|11|kn}} surfaced
* {{cvt|100|nmi}} at {{cvt|5|kn}} submerged
|Ship test depth={{cvt|200|ft}}
|Ship capacity= {{cvt|11800|USgal|lk=in}} fuel
|Ship complement=* 2 officers
* 23 enlisted
|Ship armament=* 4 × [[American 18 inch torpedo|18 inch (450 mm)]] [[Bow (watercraft)|bow]] [[torpedo tube]]s (8 [[torpedo]]es)
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

'''USS ''Seawolf/H-1'' (SS-28)''', also known as "Submarine No. 28", was the [[lead ship]] of [[United States H-class submarine|her class]] of [[submarine]] of the [[United States Navy]] (USN). She was the first ship of the USN to be named for the [[Seawolf (fish)|seawolf]], though she was renamed ''H-1'' prior to launching.

==Design==
The H-class submarines had an [[length overall|overall length]] of {{cvt|150|ft|4|in|1}}, a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{cvt|15|ft|10|in|1}}, and a mean [[draft (ship)|draft]] of {{cvt|12|ft|5|in|1}}. They [[displacement (ship)|displaced]] {{cvt|358|LT|lk=in}} on the surface and {{cvt|467|LT}} submerged.  They had a diving depth of {{cvt|200|ft|1}}. The boats had a crew of 2 officers and 23 enlisted men.{{sfn|Friedman|1995|p=307}}

For surface running, they were powered by two [[New London Ship and Engine Company|New London Ship & Engine Company]] {{convert|475|bhp|lk=in|0|adj=on}} [[diesel engine]]s, each driving one [[propeller shaft]]. When submerged each [[propeller]] was driven by two {{convert|170|hp|0|adj=on}} [[Electro-Dynamic Company]] [[electric motor]]s. They could reach {{cvt|14|kn|lk=in}} on the surface and {{cvt|10.5|kn}} underwater.{{sfn|Friedman|1995|p=307}} On the surface, the boats had a range of {{cvt|2300|nmi|lk=in}} at {{cvt|11|kn}} and {{cvt|100|nmi}} at {{cvt|5|kn}} submerged.{{sfn|Gardiner|Gray|1985|p= 128}}

The boats were armed with four [[American 18-inch torpedo|18-inch (450 mm)]] [[torpedo tube]]s in the bow. They carried four reloads, for a total of eight torpedoes.{{sfn|Gardiner|Gray|1985|p= 128}}

==Construction==
''Seawolf''{{'}}s [[keel]] was [[laid down]], on 22 March 1911, by the [[Union Iron Works]], of [[San Francisco]], California. She was renamed, ''H-1'', on 17 November 1911, and [[ship naming and launching|launched]] on 6 May 1913, sponsored by Miss Lesley Jean Makins. ''H-1'' was [[ship commissioning|commissioned]] at [[Mare Island Navy Yard]], on 1 December 1913.{{sfn|Evans|2018}}

==Service history==
[[File:H1 and H2 In Coos Bay.jpg|thumb|left|''H-1'' and {{USS|H-2|SS-29|2}}, in [[Coos Bay, Oregon|Coos Bay]], Oregon]]
The new submarine was attached to the 2nd Torpedo Flotilla, [[United States Pacific Fleet|Pacific Fleet]], and operated along the [[West Coast of the United States|West Coast]], out of [[San Pedro, Los Angeles|San Pedro]], California. During various exercises and patrols, she traveled the coast from [[Los Angeles]] to lower [[British Columbia]], often in company with her [[sister ship]]s {{USS|H-2|SS-29|2}} and sometimes {{USS|H-3|SS-30|2}}.{{sfn|Evans|2018}}

Sailing from San Pedro, on 17 October 1917, she reached [[New London, Connecticut|New London]], Connecticut, on 8 November. For the remainder of [[World War I]], she was based there and patrolled [[Long Island Sound]], frequently with officer students from the submarine school on board.{{sfn|Evans|2018}}

''H-1'' and ''H-2'' sailed for San Pedro, on 6 January 1920, transiting the [[Panama Canal]] on 20 February. On 12 March, as ''H-1'' made her way up the coast of [[Mexico]]'s [[Baja California Peninsula]], she ran [[aground]] on a [[shoal]] off [[Magdalena Bay]]. Four men, including the commanding officer, died trying to reach shore.{{sfn|Evans|2018}}

The diesel freighter {{MS|Mazatlan||2}}, on her maiden voyage for the [[California & Mexico Steamship Company]], also this line's inaugural voyage, tried to pull the submarine into deep water, and then carried 22 survivors to San Pedro, where they arrived on March 18.{{sfn|Riverside|1920}}

The [[repair ship]] {{USS|Vestal|AR-4|2}} pulled ''H-1'' off the rocks in the morning of 24 March, but in only 45&nbsp;minutes, the submarine sank in some {{cvt|50|ft}} of water. Further salvage effort was abandoned. Her name was stricken from the [[Naval Vessel Register]] on 12 April 1920, and she was sold for scrap in June 1920, but never recovered.{{sfn|Evans|2018}}

In 2019, her wreck was identified south of [[Baja California]].{{sfn|CNN|2019}}{{sfn|Hendren|2021|p=235}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite journal
  |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=mZEqAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA762
  |title= Table 21 - Ships on Navy List June 30, 1919
  |journal= Congressional Serial Set
  |publisher= U.S. Government Printing Office
  |year= 1921
  |page= 766
  |ref= {{sfnRef|Navy List|1921}} 
  }}
* {{cite web
  |last= Priolo
  |first= Gary
  |title= Seawolf / H-1 (SS-28)
  |url= https://www.navsource.net/archives/08/08028.htm
  |website= Navsource.net
  |access-date= 29 September 2025
  |ref= {{sfnRef|Priolo|H-1}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  |last= Friedman
  |first= Norman
  |author-link= Norman Friedman
  |title= U.S. Submarines Through 1945: An Illustrated Design History
  |publisher= [[Naval Institute Press]]
  |location= [[Annapolis]], Maryland
  |year= 1995
  |isbn= 1-55750-263-3
  }}
* {{cite book
  |last1= Gardiner
  |first1= Robert
  |last2= Gray
  |first2= Randal
  |title= Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921
  |year= 1985
  |location= Annapolis, Maryland
  |publisher= Naval Institute Press
  |isbn=0-85177-245-5
  |name-list-style= amp
  }}
* {{cite DANFS
  |last= Evans
  |first= Mark L.
  |title= H-1 (Submarine No. 28)
  |url= https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/h/h-1.html
  |date= 6 September 2018
  |access-date= 29 September 2025
  |ref=
  }}{{PD-notice}}
* {{cite news
  |work= Riverside Daily Press
  |date= 18 March 1920
  |page= 4
  |title= Steamer Mazatlan Arrives in Port
  |url= https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=RDP19200318.2.44&srpos=12&e=------192-en--20--1-byDA-txt-txIN-%22steamer+mazatlan%22-------
  |ref= {{sfnRef|Riverside|1920}}
  }}
* {{cite web
  |website= CNN en Espanol
  |date= September 5, 2019
  |access-date= September 5, 2019
  |language=es
  |title= Hallan submarino de la Primera Guerra Mundial en las costas de México
  |url= https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/video/mexico-submarino-hundido-primera-guerra-mundial-pkg-digital-original/
  |trans-title= First World War submarine found off the coast of Mexico
  |ref= {{sfnRef|CNN|2019}}
  }}
* {{cite web
  |last= Hendren
  |first= Richard H.
  |title= The History of the H-class Submarines and Archeology of the Submarine H-1 (Ex Seawolf) (1913-1920)
  |date= December 2021
  |url= https://pigboats.com/images/f/f4/HENDREN-DISSERTATION-2021-corrected.pdf
  }}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{commons category|USS H-1 (SS-28)}}
* [https://pigboats.com/index.php?title=H-class PigBoats.COM H-class page]
* {{navsource|08/08028|USS H-1 (SS-28)}}
* [http://www.oneternalpatrol.com/uss-h-1-28.htm On Eternal Patrol: USS ''H-1'' (SS-28)]

{{United States H class submarine}}
{{Holland 602 type submarine}}
{{1920 shipwrecks}}
{{coord missing|Baja California Sur}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:H-1 (SS-28)}}
[[Category:United States H-class submarines]]
[[Category:World War I submarines of the United States]]
[[Category:Lost submarines of the United States]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1920]]
[[Category:United States submarine accidents]]
[[Category:Shipwrecks of Mexico]]
[[Category:Ships built in San Francisco]]
[[Category:1913 ships]]
[[Category:Ships built by Union Iron Works]]