Salmon-class submarine

USS Salmon on trials in 1938
Class overview
Builders	Electric Boat Company, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Mare Island Naval Shipyard[1]
Operators	United States Navy
Preceded by	Porpoise class[1]
Succeeded by	Sargo class[1]
Built	1936–1938[2]
In commission	1937–1946[2]
Completed	6[1]
Retired	6[1]
General characteristics
Type	Composite (direct and diesel-electric) drive fleet submarine[4]
Displacement	1,435 long tons (1,458 t) standard, surfaced[3] 2,198 long tons (2,233 t) submerged[3]
Length	308 ft (94 m)[3]
Beam	26 ft 1.25 in (7.96 m)[3]
Draft	15 ft 8 in (4.78 m)[3]
Propulsion	4 × General Motors-Winton or Hooven-Owens-Rentschler (H.O.R.) diesel engines (two direct drive, two driving electrical generators), 1,535 hp (1,145 kW) each[1][4][3] 2 × 120-cell batteries[3] 4 × high-speed Elliott geared electric motors, 665 hp (496 kW) each[1] 2 × auxiliary diesel generators, 330 kW (440 hp) each[5] 2 shafts[1] Net 5,500 hp (4,100 kW) surfaced[1] 2,660 hp (1,980 kW) submerged[1]
Speed	21 knots (39 km/h) surfaced[3] 9 knots (17 km/h) submerged[3]
Range	11,000 nautical miles (20,000 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h)[3]
Endurance	48 hours at 2 knots (3.7 km/h) submerged[3]
Test depth	250 ft (76 m)[3]
Complement	5 officers, 54 enlisted[3]
Armament	8 × 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes  (four forward, four aft)  24 torpedoes[3] 1 × 3 inch (76 mm)/50 caliber deck gun[3] four machine guns

The United States Navy Salmon-class submarines were an important developmental step in the design of the "fleet submarine" concept during the 1930s. An incremental improvement over the previous Porpoise class, they were the first US submarine class to achieve 21 knots with a reliable propulsion plant, allowing them to operate with the Standard-type battleships of the surface fleet. Also, their 11,000 nautical miles (20,000 km) unrefueled range would allow them to operate in Japanese home waters. These rugged and dependable boats provided yeoman service during World War II, along with their immediate successors, the similar Sargo class.^[6] In some references, the Salmons and Sargos are called the "New S Class", 1st and 2nd Groups.^[7]