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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive


Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Pike (SS-173)

Radio Call Sign: November - Echo - November - Charlie
Porpoise Class Submarine: Laid down, 20 December 1933, at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Portsmouth, NH; Launched, 12 September 1935; Commissioned USS Pike (SS-173), 2 December 1935; Decommissioned, 15 November 1945, Boston; Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet; Placed in service as a Naval Reserve Training Ship at Baltimore, MD., in September 1946; Placed out of service and simultaneously struck from the Naval Register, 17 February 1956; Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 14 January 1957, to A. G. Schoonmaker Co., New York, NY. Pike earned four battle stars for World War II service.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 1,310 t., Submerged: 1,934 t.; Length 301' ; Beam 24' 11"; Draft 13' 1"; Speed, Surfaced 19 kts, Submerged 8 kts; Maximum Operating Depth 250'; Complement 5 Officers, 45 Enlisted; Armament, six 21" torpedo tubes, four forward, two aft, 18 torpedoes, one 3"/50 deck gun, two .50 cal. machine guns, two .30 cal. machine guns; Propulsion, diesel-electric drive, Winton Engine Co., diesel engines, 4300hp, Fuel Capacity, 93,129 gal., Elliot Motor Company electric motors, 2,085 hp, Battery Cells, 240, twin propellers.
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For Full Size		SizeImage DescriptionSource
SS-173 16kPike Esox lucius. Courtesy of freshwater-fishing-guide.com.
SS-173 262kKeel laying of the Pike (SS-173) on 20 December 1933, at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Portsmouth, NH. US Navy photo courtesy of Tommy Trampp.
SS 172 & 173NRBolstering the Nation's first line of defense with Public Works money. The picture shows construction work on the submarines Porpoise (SS-172) and Pike (SS-173) at the Portsmouth Navy Yard.Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
Photo & text by Evening Star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 07 January 1934, Image 78, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
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0817373		 NR Miss Snyder Sponsor For Ship’s Launching
The Secretary of the Navy has designated Miss Jane Logan Snyder, daughter of Rear Admiral Charles P. Snyder, U. S. N., commandant of the Navy Yard, Portsmouth, N. H., as sponsor for the Pike (SS-173), which is to be launched at the Navy Yard, Portsmouth, N. H.. 12 September 1935. Miss Snyder’s father was stationed at Annapolis as Commandant of Midshipmen at the Naval Academy under the administration of Rear Admiral S. S. Robison, former superintendent, and she is well known in Annapolis society. 		Insert photo via wikipedia.org
Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
Photo from Evening Star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 18 August 1935, Image 42, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Insert PDF Image and text provided by Washington State Library; Olympia, WA.
Photo from The Tacoma Times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 24 June 1939, Image 12 via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
SS-173 234kThe Pike (SS-173) is launched at 11:50 on 12 September 1935. USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
SS-173 19k Commemorative postal cover marking the launching ceremony of the Pike (SS-173), 12 September 1935. Courtesy of Jack Treutle (of blessed memory).
SS-173 18kCommemorative postal cover & photo inset marking the launching ceremony of the Pike (SS-173), 12 September 1935. Courtesy of Jack Treutle (of blessed memory).
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0817313		 727kThe Pike (SS-173) at berth # 1, after she had been launched at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Portsmouth, NH., 12 September 1935. USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
SS-173 18k Commemorative postal cover marking the commissioning ceremony of the Pike (SS-173), 2 December 1935. Courtesy of Jack Treutle (of blessed memory).
SS-173 18k Commemorative postal cover marking the first day in commissioning of the Pike (SS-173), 2 December 1935. Courtesy of Jack Treutle (of blessed memory).
SS-173 21k Commemorative postal cover marking Pike's (SS-173) shakedown cruise and ports of call, 18 June 1936. Courtesy of Jack Treutle (of blessed memory).
SS-173 69kPike (SS-173), in New York Harbor, circa 1936. The Manhattan skyline is faintly visible in the distance, beyond Pike's bow. NH # 50116, courtesy of U.S. Naval Historical Center.
SS-173 104kPike (SS-173), submerging, circa 1936-1938. Photograph distributed by the U.S. Navy Recruiting Bureau, Room 726, Washington & Christopher Sts., New York. NH # 98895, courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, collection of Commander E.S. Moale, USN (Retired). Official USN photo from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
SS-172 119k Holland (AS-3) with seven submarines alongside, circa 1936-1939. These "boats" are, from left to right:
Nautilus (SS-168);
Narwhal (SS-167);
Shark (SS-174), marked "P3";
Dolphin (SS-169), marked "D1";
Porpoise (SS-172), marked "P1";
Pike (SS-173), marked "P2"; and
Tarpon (SS-175), marked "P4". 		NH # 3036, courtesy of U.S. Naval Historical Center.
SS-172 82k Holland (AS-3) with seven submarines alongside, circa 1936-1939. These "boats" are, from left to right:
Nautilus (SS-168);
Narwhal (SS-167);
Shark (SS-174), marked "P3";
Dolphin (SS-169), marked "D1";
Porpoise (SS-172), marked "P1";
Pike (SS-173), marked "P2"; and
Tarpon (SS-175), marked "P4". 		NH # 3037, courtesy of U.S. Naval Historical Center.
SS-172 90k Holland (AS-3) with seven submarines alongside, circa 1936-1939. These "boats" are, from left to right:
Nautilus (SS-168);
Narwhal (SS-167);
Shark (SS-174), marked "P3";
Dolphin (SS-169), marked "D1";
Porpoise (SS-172), marked "P1";
Pike (SS-173), marked "P2"; and
Tarpon (SS-175), marked "P4". 		NH # 3038, courtesy of U.S. Naval Historical Center.
SS-172 96k Holland (AS-3) with seven submarines alongside, circa 1936-1939. These "boats" are, from left to right:
Nautilus (SS-168);
Narwhal (SS-167);
Shark (SS-174), marked "P3";
Dolphin (SS-169), marked "D1";
Porpoise (SS-172), marked "P1";
Pike (SS-173), marked "P2"; and
Tarpon (SS-175), marked "P4". 		NH # 3039, courtesy of U.S. Naval Historical Center.
Fleet Maneuvers 17k Commemorative postal cover marking Fleet Maneuvers of the following subs off Midway, 5 April 1937:
Argonaut (SS-166), Nautilus (SS-168), Dolphin (SS-169), Porpoise (SS-172), Pike (SS-173), & Shark (SS-174) . 		Courtesy of Jack Treutle (of blessed memory).
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0817319		 295kCheerful and frozen crewman on ice cold Pike (SS-173), circa December 1937.Photo courtesy of David Wright.
SS-172 129kHandwritten on the back reads: "This is the series of "P" Boats built in '38-'39; Pike (SS-173), Porpoise (SS-172), Permit (SS-178), Shark (SS-174) ,& Tarpon (SS-175). Picture was taken in San Diego - The Pike & Porpoise are the only ones afloat today."
From left to right: Shark, Permit, Perch, Porpoise, Tarpon & Pike. "This Picture has been Officially released by the Navy Department." 		USN photo courtesy of m.flickr.com via Bill Gonyo.
Perch97kSix U.S. Navy submarines nested together, circa 1939-1941. Probably seen from Canopus (AS-9) in Manila Bay, Philippines. The inboard submarine is not identified. The others are (from left to right):
Pike (SS-173);
Tarpon (SS-175);
Porpoise (SS-172);
Perch (SS-176); and
Permit (SS-178).		 USN photo # NH 99672, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center. Collection of Jack L. Wheat, who served in Canopus.
SS-173 428k1925 Lucky Bag photo of Captain William Adolph New of the Pike (SS-173), her first war time commander. According to the USNA Register of Alumni, he died in Germany on 4 November 1945. Photo & text submitted by Charles R. Hinman, Director of Education & Outreach,
USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park, &
On Eternal Patrol
Sunfish 319k Progress photo, stern view, at Mare Island on 2 July 1942.
The Tunny (SS-282) is alongside.
In front of the two boats are the Pike (SS-173) & Porpoise (SS-172). Beyond them lies the Argonaut (SS-166) and new Destroyer Escorts under construction. 		Text i.d. courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
USN photo # BS 34397 via NARA College Park, courtesy of Tracy White @ Researcher @ Large.
SS-173 134kThe Pike (SS-173) off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 6 October 1942. USN photo # MI-6157-42 courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
SS-173 2.54kPike (SS-173) off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 6 October 1942. Photograph NH # 19-N-36006 courtesy of history.navy.mil
SS-173 113kPike (SS-173), at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 6 October 1942. The city of Vallejo is visible in the distance, and barges YF-267 and YF-387 are in the left center. White outlines mark recent alterations to this submarine, among them external bow torpedo tubes. Photograph NH # 19-N-36002, from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.
SS-173 103kPike (SS-173), at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 6 October 1942. The city of Vallejo is visible in the background. White outlines mark recent alterations to this submarine. Photograph NH # 19-N-36001, from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.
SS-173 103kPike (SS-173), operating off the coast of Rhode Island, 14 February 1944. Official USN photo NH # 80-G-214327, now in the collections of the National Archives.
SS-173 124kPike (SS-173), submerging off the Rhode Island coast, with only her periscope visible, 14 February 1944. Official USN photo NH # 80-G-233816, now in the collections of the National Archives.
SS-173 121kPike (SS-173), underway off New London, Connecticut, while serving as a training submarine, 5 May 1944. Official USN photo NH # 80-G-233813, now in the collections of the National Archives.
SS-173 1.30kPike (SS-173), underway off Fisher's Island, New York, in May 1944. US National Archives photo # 80-G-233852, from NARA, College Park, Maryland, courtesy of Sean Hert.
Pike 740k Four photo PDF of the Pike (SS-173). Photos courtesy of Mel Douyette @ coldwarsubmarines.com
Pike 1.89k Reserve Officer Candidates cross the quarterdeck of Pike (SS-173), 1 September 1953, as they visit naval installations. A group of ladies pose here beneath the search light. Photo # 330-PS-6057-2 & 330-PS-6057-3 (insert) courtesy of the National Museum of the U.S. Navy, via flickr.com.
Fremantle 365k This plaque was unveiled 20 March 1995 by His Excellency Major General P.M. Jeffery OA MC, Governor of Western Australia to commemorate the sacrifices made by Allied submarines that operated out of Fremantle, Western Australia during WW II. Photo courtesy of Ron Reeves (of blessed memory).
View the Pike (SS-173)
DANFS history entry located on the Haze Gray & Underway Web Site.
Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
Fleet Reserve Association
Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Ep-21 (1) - Victory At Sea ~ Full Fathom Five - HQ
PigBoats.COM TM, A Historic Look at Submarines.
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