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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

K-6 (SS-37)

Radio Call Sign: November - Yankee - Kilo
K Class Submarine: Laid down, 19 June 1912, at Fore River Shipbuilding Co., Quincy, MA.; Launched, 26 March 1914; Commissioned, USS K-6, 9 September 1914, at Boston, MA.; Designated (SS-37), 17 July 1920; Decommissioned, 21 May 1923, at Hampton Roads (Submarine Base); Struck from the Naval Register, 18 December 1930; Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 3 June 1931.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 392 t., Submerged: 521 t.; Length 153' 7"; Beam 16' 8"; Draft 13' 1"; Speed, Surfaced 14 kts, Submerged 10.5 kts; Operating Depth, 200'; Complement, 2 Officers, 26 Enlisted; Armament, four 18" torpedo tubes, 8 torpedoes, one 3"/23 deck gun; Propulsion, diesel-electric, New London Ship & Engine Co., diesel engine, HP 960, Fuel Capacity, 18,126, Electro Dynamic Co., electric motor, HP 960, Battery Cells, 120, single propeller.
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K-6 541k K-6 (SS-37) on the Cape Cod Canal, 16 November 1914. National Archives Identifier: 6277036
Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov
K-6 137k K-6 (SS-37), crew photo, taken between 26 March / 12 December 1914. USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
K-6 774k OLD AND NEW
America's first battleship, the Constitution, and the navy's latest acquisitions, the submarines K-5 (SS-36) and K-6 (SS-37), lying side by side in the Charlestown navy yard.		Photo by International News Service.
Image and text provided by State Historical Society of Missouri; Columbia, MO.
Photo from The Hayti Herald. (Hayti, Mo.) 1908-1922, 03 December 1914, Image 9, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
K-6 475k Boston Merchant Marine, East Boston and Charlestown Navy Yard.
America's first battleship, the Constitution, and the navy's latest acquisitions, the submarines K-5 (SS-36) and K-6 (SS-37), lying side by side in the Charlestown navy yard.		Photo # 08_06_032616 courtesy of the Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection via flickr.com.
K-619kLt. J. O. Fisher in command of the K-6 (SS-37). Image and text provided by Washington State Library; Olympia, WA.
Photo from The Lehi Banner. (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 12 December 1914, Image 8, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
K 1.0k Submarines K-1 (SS-32), K-2 (SS-33), K-5 (SS-36) & K-6 (SS-37) at 135th street and the North River.
K-5 getting into place is shown in the lower picture.		 Photoi.d. courtesy of Ric Hedman.
Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
Photo from the New-York Tribune. New-York Tribune. (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 07 May 1915, Image 6, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
K-6 462k ONE OF THE LARGEST UNITED STATES SUBMARINES.
The K-6 (SS-37), of the Atlantic fleet, led the squadron which came up the Hudson River for the great review to take place 17 May.		Photo by Underwood & Underwood.
Image and text provided by Penn State University Libraries; University Park, PA.
Photo from Evening Public Ledger. (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 11 May 1915, Night Extra, Image 16, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
K-6 80k K-6 (SS-37) passing under a lift bridge on 26 May 1915. USNHC photograph # NH 52395. Collection of Vice Admiral Albert W. Grant, USN (Retired), who was Commander Submarine Force, Atlantic Fleet, in 1915-1917.
K-51.60kUS Navy Leads in Development of the Submarine
K-5 (SS-36) and K-6 (SS-37) AT DOCK IN BOSTON NAVY YARD.		Fine-screen halftone reproduction, published in "Sea Power" magazine, May 1917. USNHC photograph # NH 76058.
Photo i.d. courtesy of Aryeh Wetherhorn.
Insert PDF Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
Photo from the Evening Star. (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 27 June 1915, Image 52, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
K 437k K-6 (SS-37) in stripes, possibly off Key West, FL., circa 1915. Photo courtesy of Ric Hedman.
K boats & BB-30 Florida1.20kOctober 1915. USN subs K-1 (SS-32), K-2 (SS-33), K-6 (SS-37) & K-5 (SS-36) prior to going to Europe after the US entered WW I. The Florida (BB-30) is seen at rear.
Notice that the K-5 is being repainted OUT of dazzle before deployment.		 Photo by Enrique Muller Jr.
Photo i.d. courtesy of Aryeh Wetherhorn & Ric Hedman.
National Archives Identifier: 45510310
Local Identifier: 165-WW-322D-25.
Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov
Tonopah 701k New York Navy Yard on 4 November 1915. Waterfront, Looking Southeast from South Side of Pier F:
Two former monitors, converted to submarine tenders appear one behind the other. The Tonopah (M-8) is most likely the 1st ship & the Ozark (M-7) the other. Their charges are 4 K class submarines in camouflage; (in no particular order that can be determined here) K-1 (SS-32), K-2 (SS-33), K-5 (SS-36) & K-6 (SS-37). What appear to be 3 submarines are moored port side of the Ozark in the photo here. 		National Archives Identifier: 6880309
Agency-Assigned Identifier: F644 N266
Photo i.d. courtesy of Aryeh Wetherhorn & Ric Hedman.
Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov
68810981.16kNew York Navy Yard on 24 January 1916, 6 submarines in drydock.
G-4 (SS-26) is in the center. Stern planes configuration makes this definitely her. Cool thing - notice the two part hatch on the aft deck. It is a hatch/scuttle combination normally found on surface ships, but EXTREMELY rare on submarines. In fact I would say this is the first time that I have ever seen this on a USN boat. It is probably a feature of her original Italian Laurenti design.
The boat on the right is definitely the G-2 (SS-27). G-3 (SS-31) had a similar after superstructure, but by the date of the photo she had already received prominent blister saddle tanks on the side of the hull, and those are missing on this photo. Both boats were known to be in New York during the time of the photo.
I'd like to say that the left hand boat is a "K" boat just due to the fact there is some painted Camo in the top of the periscope shears. K-5 (SS-36) or K-6 (SS-37) maybe. The rest of the boats are the other K boats, K-1 (SS-32) & K-2 (SS-33). 		Photo & text i.d. courtesy of Ric Hedman & David Johnston.
National Archives Identifier: 6881098
Agency-Assigned Identifier: F542N150
Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov
K-6
0803701		 950k K-6 (SS-37), operating on the surface "At Slow Speed", prior to World War I. Photographed by N. Moser, New York, and Enrique Muller, Jr., from Thomas Crane Public Library courtesy of Bob Canchola.
K-5, K-61.01kK-5 (SS-36) and K-6 (SS-37) alongside the monitor Tallahassee Hampton Roads, 10 December 1916. National Archives Identifier: 55167370
Local Identifier: 111-SC-002989.
Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov
K-51.03k K-6 (SS-37) underway in Hampton Roads, Virginia, 13 December 1916. Note that the # 42 is on her periscope shears.
The K-5 (SS-36) is in the distance.		 National Archives Identifier: 45513773
Local Identifier: 165-WW-338B-40
Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov
K-1, K-2, K-5, K-6 NR Preparation by the Navy to Take Its Part in the War
"American submarines of the K-class fitted out with machinery & equipment of the latest type to be used in case of hostile descent on our coast".
Pictured in no particular order are probably the K-1 (SS-32), K-2 (SS-33), K-5 (SS-36), and K-6 (SS-37) alongside the tender Bushnell (AS-2), Ponta Delgada, Azores, circa 1918.
Photo dates from at least 26 April 1917 as is evidenced from this PDF.		 Photo by Central News, courtesy of memory.loc.gov.
Partial text from "The War of the Nations" (New York), pg 362, 31 December 1919.
Image and text provided by Kansas State Historical Society; Topeka, KS.
Photo from the The Topeka State Journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kan.) 1892-1980, 26 April 1917, POSTSCRIPT, Image 6, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Ks 397k K-1 (SS-32), K-6 (SS-37) & K-2 (SS-33) at the Naval National, C 1917. Photo # MM00042730x from the Wright Langley Collection in the Florida Keys Public Library via flickr.com courtesy of Robert Hurst.
K-5
0803627		 944k Two submarines in port, (one of which may be a K-boat) by the artist Joseph Pennell, circa 1917. Photo courtesy of loc.gov.
Reproduction Number LC-USZ62-49505.
K-6 67k K-6 (SS-37) underway of Key West, FL. in 1917. K-6 was used to test WWI camouflage schemes for submarines. Small, medium and large stripes were tested, all made the boats more visible. From these tests it was determined that gray was a more suitable color scheme for submarines. USN photo courtesy of Mike Green.
K-6 659k K-6 (SS-37) with ocean spray alongside in the teens. USN photo thanks to Jim Kurrasch @ Battleship Iowa, Pacific Battleship Center.
K-6 88k K-6 (SS-37) at Horta, Fayal, Azores, in December 1917. Photographed from Margaret (SP-527) by Raymond D. Borden.
USNHC photograph # NH 52388, courtesy of NARA/ussubmarinevetsofwwii.org. via Robert Hurst.
K-6 80k Stern view of the K-6 (SS-37) at Horta, Fayal, Azores, in December 1917. Photographed from Margaret (SP-527) by Raymond D. Borden. USNHC photograph # NH 52393.
K & L
0803710		 901kMix of K and L-class boats in Philadelphia, 18 July 1917. The L-3 (SS-42) has a 51 painted on her periscope. In the center background are Floating Derrick # 5 and K-6 (SS-37). Photo i.d. via David Johnston (USN, retired)
Photo courtesy of Gary Mcintosh.
K-6 68k Lieutenant Commander Frank Jack Fletcher, USN, Commanding officer of Margaret (SP-527) at left; talking with Lieutenant Stuart O. Greig, USN, Commanding officer of K-6 (SS-37) on board the K-6 at Horta, Fayal, Azores, in December 1917. Note the dog. Photographed by Raymond D. Borden. USNHC photograph # NH 52390.
K-6 69k K-6 (SS-37) moored to a buoy at Horta, Fayal, Azores, in January 1918, with a boat alongside. Photographed from Margaret (SP-527), by Raymond D. Borden. USNHC photograph # NH 52394.
SS-34622kJust back from the war, K-1 (SS-32), K-2 (SS-33), K-5 (SS-36) & K-6 (SS-37) attract a crowd in the North River, NYC, November 1918. (The info on the photo says November 1917, but DANFS says all of them were in the Azores from 12 October 1917 till November 1918.National Archives Identifier: 45513781
Local Identifier: 165-WW-338B-044
Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov
K-6 55k K-6 (SS-37) in port, during the early 1920s. USNHC photograph # NH 52381, courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1969.
K 378k Unidentified K-boat in New York City Harbor; K-1 (SS-32), K-2 (SS-33), K-5 (SS-36), or K-6 (SS-37) sails along in this undated postcard photo. Photo by Underwood & Underwood courtesy of Arnold A. Putnam via Gary Priolo.
K 117k K-boats in harbor with a four funnel destroyer in the background;
K-1 (SS-32), K-2 (SS-33), K-6 (SS-37), K-4 (SS-35), K-7 (SS-38), K-3 (SS-34), K-5 (SS-36) & K-8 (SS-39) appear in this undated photo. K-5 is being repainted. 		Text i.d. courtesy of Ric Hedman.
Photo courtesy of Rick Larson (of blessed memory) via the unique hand of Ric Hedman.
K 843k One of the mother ships of Uncle Sam's navy the Camden (AS-6), and her nine undersea kittens, a formidable flotilla of Yankee submarines that have been a source of great interest the last two weeks to visitors to the Atlantic Fleet at anchor in the Hudson. The Camden and her family have been at anchor off the Seventies. Above. How the K-5 (SS-36) looks when traveling at full speed on the surface. Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
Photo from the New-York Tribune. (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 16 May 1920, Image 59, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
K 696k There are fewer busier places in Philadelphia than the large drydock at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, where repairs are being made on eleven of Uncle Sam's submarine craft.
Among the boats visible is the K-1 (SS-32), which appears in the front left corner, and K-5 (SS-36), behind her. The remainder of the K-boats are likely here as well.		 Image and text provided by Penn State University Libraries; University Park, PA.
Photo from the Evening Public Ledger. (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 14 October 1920, NIGHT EXTRA, Image 26, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov
K
0803714		674kThe Sesqui-Centennial International Exposition of 1926 was a world's fair in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its purpose was to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence, and the 50th anniversary of the 1876 Centennial Exposition. The fair opened on 31 May 1926.
Text of photo reads Sesqui-Centennial International Exposition, Philadelphia, PA. Docking 11 submarines, League Island Navy Yard.
It would be my guess that these boats are K-boats submarines. The date is most likely late 1924 after they had been towed to Philadelphia. K-6 (SS-37) and K-8 (SS-39) are the only two identifiable on the right. They had been decommissioned in Norfolk on 24 February 1923 and sat there for a while. They were all towed to Philadelphia in September 1924 until finally sold for scrap in 1931.
Photo courtesy of digitalcommonwealth.org
Sub related text via David Johnston.
Unknown Photos 412k Submarine being overhauled, Philadelphia Navy Yard drydock, 19 March 1929.
The boats might be K-boats, with one Lake design N-class.		 Photo i.d. courtesy of David Johnston & Ric Hedman.
Photo 08_06_006682 courtesy of the Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection via Sean Hert & flickr.com.
O-16
0807700		674kPhiladelphia in the late 1920’s.
From left to right: Two K-class: (No definite i.d. which ones of the following 8 ): K-1 (SS-32), K-2 (SS-33), K-3 (SS-34), K-4 (SS-35), K-5 (SS-36), K-6 (SS-37), K-7 (SS-38), K-8 (SS-39).
Four EB design L-class (No definite i.d. which ones of the following 4 ): L-2 (SS-41), L-3 (SS-42), L-9 (SS-49) & L-11 (SS-51).
Two Lake design O-class (No definite i.d. which ones of the first 4): O-11 (SS-72), O-13 (SS-74), O-14 (SS-75), O-15 (SS-76 ), with the last boat being O-16 (SS-77) on far right.
All boats are in various states of disrepair, and all would be disposed of by scrapping by the summer of 1930 in accordance with the London Naval Treaty. 		Photo courtesy of David Wright.
Text i.d. via David Johnston.
View the K-6 (SS 37)
DANFS history entry located on the Haze Gray & Underway Web Site.
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