USS S-5 (SS-110)

USS S-5 (SS-110) immediately after her launching at Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine, on 10 November 1919. She is dressed overall.
History
Name:	USS S-5
Ordered:	4 March 1917
Builder:	Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, Maine
Laid down:	4 December 1917
Launched:	10 November 1919
Sponsored by:	Mrs. Glenn S. Burrell
Commissioned:	6 March 1920
Struck:	1921
Fate:	Foundered 1 September 1920; Partially refloated 2 September 1920; Sank 3 September 1920
General characteristics
Class and type:	S-class submarine
Displacement:	876 long tons (890 t) surfaced 1,092 long tons (1,110 t) submerged
Length:	231 ft (70 m)
Beam:	21 ft 10 in (6.65 m)
Draft:	13 ft 1 in (3.99 m)
Installed power:	1,000 hp (750 kW) (diesel engines) 600 hp (450 kW) (electric motors)
Propulsion:	2 × four-cycle NELSECO-type diesel engines 2 × electric motors 2 × 60-cell EXIDE batteries 2 × shafts
Speed:	15 kn (17 mph; 28 km/h) surfaced 11 kn (13 mph; 20 km/h) submerged
Test depth:	200 ft (61 m)
Capacity:	36,950 US gal (139,900 l) diesel fuel
Complement:	4 officers and 34 men
Armament:	1 × 4 in (100 mm)/50 deck gun 4 × 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes (12 torpedoes)

USS S-5 (SS-110) was a "Government-type" S-class submarine of the United States Navy. Her keel was laid down on 4 December 1917 by the Portsmouth Navy Yard of Kittery, Maine. She was launched on 10 November 1919, sponsored by Mrs. Glenn S. Burrell, and commissioned on 6 March 1920 with Lieutenant Commander Charles M. "Savvy" Cooke, Jr., in command. She sank accidentally during full-power trials on 1 September 1920, but due to actions by her crew and the crews of other ships, no lives were lost. Refloated, she was lost when she sank again while under tow on 3 September 1920.

Following builder's trials, outfitting, and crew training, S-5 departed Boston Navy Yard, Boston, Massachusetts, on 30 August 1920 to undergo full-power trials in the Atlantic Ocean 55 nautical miles (102 km) off the Delaware Capes. At 13:00 on 1 September, she commenced a dive for a submerged test run. Water unexpectedly entered the submarine through the main air induction system, pouring into the control room, engine room, torpedo room, and motor room.

Normal procedure was to leave the main air induction valve open until the engines had a chance to come to a full stop, this operation being so timed as to occur just prior to complete submergence. In the case of S-5, however, the chief of the boat, Gunner's Mate Percy Fox, the man responsible for operating this valve, was momentarily distracted. Noticing the mistake, he grabbed the valve lever and jerked hard, causing the valve to jam open.