Pre-Launch photo of the USS Sturgeon SS 187 take on the ways at Mare Island Navy Shipyard, March 15, 1938.

In the left foreground is a Chief Musician that seems to be directing the Navy Band. A microphone is set up behind him to pick up the band music for broadcast to the area.

The coil of chain, at the right, is most likely to present drag to the launching cradle and allow the Submarine to float free of its confines.

USS Sturgeon SS 187, commissioned on 25 June 1938, Lt. Comdr. A. D. Barnes in command.

From the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, (DANFS) we have this notation; "Sturgeon completed builder's trials in Monterey Bay and began her shakedown cruise on 15 October, (1938) visiting ports in Mexico, Honduras, Panama, Peru, Ecuador, and Costa Rica before returning to San Diego on 12 December 1938. She was assigned to Submarine Squadron (SubRon) 6 and operated along the west coast as far north as Washington."

We feel strongly this photo was taken in Acapulco Harbor, Mexico maybe a week after leaving on on her shakedown cruise. A comparison of the mountains in the background match closely and some details would have changed over the span of 82 years to the skyline.

In this photo she is still wearing her class identifier, letter/number, (S6) on her bow and fairwater. This somewhat confusing system of identifying the boat at a distance was discontinued in early 1939. After that all boats prominently displayed their hull number instead.

Submarine Historian David Johnston had these comments after examining the photo in some detail; "Interesting feature that I hadn't noticed before: It appears that these boats had a folding accommodation ladder that retracted into the superstructure, similar to what the V-boats had. They were located on either side [just aft] of the fairwater.

"This is the first time that I have ever seen a boat other than the V's with this ladder rigged out. I actually didn't realize that the Porpoise and Salmon/Sargo classes even had them until I saw this photo.

"Thinking about it, photos of the ladders rigged out would have been very rare. The ladders would only have been used when the boat was anchored out. They would not have been used alongside the pier or the tender. Opportunities to anchor out would have been limited. It was always preferable to pull alongside a pier. The fact that we see these ladders rigged out on the V-boats can be attributed to the fact the in the 20's and early 30's those boats made more "show the flag" visits to unprepared ports and thus used their liberty launches more."

A further note about the submarine being anchored out in the harbor, you can see her anchor chain running out of the anchor housing just aft of the 10 limber holes in the bow just above the waterline. Also, hanging from the Starboard Yardarm on the Radio Mast is a Black Ball that is the International signal for a vessel that is at anchor.

Anchoring out accounts for the lifting boom attached to the fore deck mast that would have lifted the ships boat from it storage under the deck and place it into the water. This boat would have then utilized the accommodation ladder that is talked about above. The ladder would have also been used by any officials and dignitaries from the city that were visiting the submarine. This boom was also utilized for loading Torpedoes.

A yacht with a yawl rig is sailing in the back off Sturgeons' bow. A Mexican flag is flying from the head of her mizzen mast. The presence of the bumkin (boomkin) on the vessel stern, for handling that masts boom sheets, lends strongly to this being a yawl rig.

This photo, taken from Google Maps, shows almost the same view as the image above but taken from altitude, maybe 300 to 400 feet, whereas the other image is taken from 5 or 6 feet above the water. If you compare the two images the background land coutures match almost exactly.

A Starboard view of the Sturgeon taken some time after her commissioning but after her trial trip to South America. Commissioning pennant is flying at the top of her radio mast.

In this photo the submarine has received her 3"/50 caliber deck gun that she didn't have on her trial trip and her S6 ID numbers have been painted out.

In this photo Sturgeon still retains the two long wire antenna stanchions on either side of her bridge. A search/signal light is mounted on the Port stanchion. These were later removed in future upgrades of the submarine.

USS Sturgeon SS 187 moored pier-side, quite possibly in San Diego but that is uncertain as there is not enough background for identification. It appears to be a public pier with the presence of a man in a suit and wearing a straw hat.

The time frame probably circa 1939 since the submarine is now wearing her hull number instead of the S6 identifier. Below the numbers and just below the handrail a boat hook is attached to the side of the fairwater.

Seen on both sides of the deck light colored squares of decking. There appears to be some modification work having gone on. There is a possibility that she had her accommodation ladders removed or modified. There seems to have been some work done on the hull at the curve of the deck.

The large line draped over the rail and snaking across the deck in most likely a shore power cable supplying electricity to the submarine.

Forward of the conning tower fairwater, laying on the deck is the boom used for lifting the ships boats from under the deck and loading torpedoes.

Several deck wrenches are clipped to the side of the fairwater and two benches for crew to sit on are there to accommodate crew with relaxing when allowed. Ships bell hangs from a bracket. This part of the deck was designated as the "Quarter Deck" where formal events were held. Though in this case the boarding gangway is forward of the Conning tower fairwater making that area the "Quarter Deck" at this time.'

The submarine moored outboard to the Sturgeon is most likely the USS Perch SS 176 or the USS Shark SS 174. Both were attached to SubRon 6 at the same time Sturgeon was. Submarine Historian David Johnston had this to say:"The mystery boat is a EB design Shark/Perch. For the Government design boats the sweep of the cigarette deck bulwark was different and the Porpoise and Pike had the control room scope aft of the conning tower scope, the exact opposite of this boat, which makes it one of the EB Shark/Perch’s."

A clip from the movie by MGM named "Thunder Afloat". Sturgeon was used throughout the movie. This shows one of her dramatic surfaces.

After Sturgeons Sixth War Patrol she proceeded to Mare Island for overhaul and completed this in May 1943.

This Port profile view shows her war time configuration with cut down areas of the conning tower fairwater and the movement of her gun to the fore deck.

Note the barrage balloon just over the bridge area behind the periscope.

In this yard photo Sturgeon looks to be undergoing ballasting/inclining testing. Note the large square boxes filled with lead pigs spaced around the deck edges. There must have been significant modification with added weight to the submarine. The circles show items on the vessel that have changes since her entry to the yard. Mare Island was the only yard to show such modifications in photos during WW II.

Same as the above photo with the exception of the 4"/50 caliber gun on the deck is visible in this photo. Ballasting weights are also seen on the deck.

Sturgeon conducting seatrials on San Francisco Bay.

Stern view showing the lack of pre-war screw guards. These were removed from most US Submarines after Thresher had hers snagged by a Japanese seagoing tug that ensued a tug of war between the two. Thresher finally getting away.

Dots in the sky are blurs made by Seagulls.

Bow on view of Sturgeon on San Francisco Bay during her seatrials. A large navy ship is seen in the background. Possibly a tender of a sort.

Sturgeon on seatrials off Mare Island. Note the barrage balloon just over the top of the hill above the aft deck.