April 11 is celebrated as National Submarine Day. The date commemorates the U.S. Navy’s purchase of its first commissioned submarine, the USS Holland, 117 years ago.
Named after its creator, John Holland, the submarine was the culmination of about 100 years of effort by different folks to perfect an underwater attack vessel. Earlier versions, like a craft named the Turtle, were human powered and not the most effective as a means for stealthy defense.
Submarine technology made a huge leap with the USS Holland. The vessel, also known as Devil of the Deep, was 53 feet long and 101 feet in diameter. It weighed 64 tons. On the water’s surface, it was propelled by a gas engine and could travel as fast as 7 knots (about 8 mph). And when it descended, an electric motor drove the great steel beast to speeds of 5 knots.
The USS Holland had a torpedo cannon for underwater attacks. And it had an air-powered gun that propelled dynamite for surface fighting. Compasses and depth gauges were used to navigate the vessel. And because it had no periscope, which had yet to be invented, it had to surface in order for the crew to know the location of enemy ships.
The sub, which was purchased from Holland’s company for $150,000, never saw battle. But it was used extensively to train sailors who crewed other subs based on this original design. The USS Holland served as the prototype for the Plunger Class, which became America’s first underwater fleet.
Since then, submarines have become an integral part of military forces across the world. Their effectiveness was shown over and over again in World War I and World War II. And in the 1950s, nuclear power enabled subs to be big and powerful enough to serve as missile launching platforms, which reshaped strategic possibilities. They continue to play an important role today.
