The USS V-3 moors to the USS V-1, which in turn is moored to the USS V-2 that is moored to the tender USS Argonne in San Diego Harbor most likely in the late afternoon, based on shadows, of December 9, 1928 or earlier. The photo is taken from the fore-deck of the Argonne. There is a complimentary photo below showing this submarine line up that is dated December 10, 1928 with the tender Argonne included.

Lots of action on the deck of the V-1. To the left a sailor is obviously leaning back in effort to haul a heevie attached to a mooring line across from the V-3. In the center, under supervision of a senior petty officer, a crew of three sailors are pulling the heavie attached to the bow line of the V-3 through a fairlead like the one seen on the starboard side behind the men.

On the deck of the V-3 sailors can be seen feeding mooring line to be pulled across from line that has been faked out on the deck. This is to ensure it doesn't become tangled or 'fouled' in Navy jargon. The same with the line to the left. An officer and a chief stand at the bow looking aft supervising.

Interesting in that the first mooring line has not yet been placed on the V-1. We know this since the Union Jack, that is raised on the bow, is still in the hands of the Officers Steward, at the far right on the bow, whose job it is to raise it when the boat is officially "moored". The heavies have gone over but no mooring line is yet attached. When the first line is attached the ships whistle is sounded and the colors are "shifted" to in port from "at sea". The photo is probably 5 to 10 seconds from this happening.

In the foreground on the V-2 there seems to be what looks like a hydraulic or lubricating oil leak in the mechanism that raises the forward radio mast. A large dark streak is running down her hull from the mast housing. The mooring line from the V-1 looks to pass around the base of the mast housing and then been looped around the V-2 capstan, deck shadows support this.

A nifty little photograph taken at the Mare Island Navy Yard between September 22 and September 28, 1928 showing the Submarine Tender USS Holland AS-3 and two V-Class submarines. Note the large flag flying from Holland [Sunday and Holiday Colors] which suggest photo was taken on Sunday September 23, 1928. We notice a total lack of people visible in the image.

In this 1928 photo the USS Bass (V-2)) & USS Bonita (V-3), two of the three early V-Class submarines, are moored to the starboard side of the two-year-old submarine tender USS Holland. (This is reflected in the Navy Yard records.) All three of the subs were under repair at Mare Island. USS Barracuda (V-1) was in the yard's dry dock # 1 at the time of this photo.

Of interest may be the box shaped device on the Holland stern just to the right of the stern anchor. It looks to be the trash chute. All it really is is a large funnel into which garbage and trash was dumped and directed overboard while at sea.

The photo location, Mare Island Navy Yard, is looking north up the Napa River and taken from quay wall south of the entrance to the dry dock #2 between 9th and 10th streets. The dock gate is seen at the lower left. The dock angles to the northwest.

The large crane in the background just beyond Holland is the YD-33 Floating Crane built in 1918 and was in use at the yard until 1973. It had the capacity to lift 150 tons. The yard's dry dock #1 is to the left of YD-33.

To the left and just north of dry dock #1 and of the YD-33 is the cantilever crane and two hammer head cranes of the yard's building ways. USS Chicago and USS Nautilus are under construction at this point. (References Mare Island Public Works photos 5032-1-25 & 6529-10-28.)

Just to left of center in the photo is a car. Make and model is unknown but possibly a coupé type.

USS V-2 (Bass), V-1 (Barracuda) and V-3 (Bonita) moored to the Port side of the USS Argonne (AS-10), at Balboa, Panama Canal Zone during Fleet Problem X circa February 1929. The submarines and tender were at Balboa from January 29, 1929 to March 11, 1929.

Fleet Problem X was conducted with all available units of the Battle Fleet and Train Squadron Two who, in the main were opposed by the Scouting Fleet and the Control Force and the defense Forces of the 15th Naval District and Army units. The tender and submarines arrived back at San Diego on March 22.

Interesting that the Tender is undergoing painting by the crew. There is a man hanging from a Bosun's Chair at the bow. He is painting the area where the bow flares. This area was known for centuries by sailors as "being between the devil and the deep blue sea" because overhang areas like this were so hard to word on. The underside of the stern was another area like this. The sailor no doubt has a line attached to him from one of the portholes and is being pulled in close to the hull to work. Another man is hanging from a Bosun's chair right at the bow of the V-2.

USS V-3 (Bonita), V-2 (Bass), V-1 (Barracuda), V-5 (Narwhal) & V-4 (Argonaut) moored to the Starboard side of the USS Holland (AS-3), most likely at San Diego, CA circa 1931. The destroyer USS Southard DD 207 is anchored at far right. Southard survived WW II and two kamikaze attacks only to be lost on the Japanese shore after war ended. Her story is here

USS V-3 (Bonita), V-1 (Barracuda), V-2 (Bass) & V-4 (Argonaut) moored to the Port side of the USS Holland (AS-3), at San Diego, CA circa 1931. Point Loma can be seen in the background. The destroyer USS Alden DD 211 is anchored closer to the point. Her story is here

Another view of the USS V-3 (Bonita), V-1 (Barracuda), V-2 (Bass) & V-4 (Argonaut) moored to the Port side of the USS Holland (AS-3), at San Diego, CA circa 1931. Coronado Island can be seen in the background. The Holland has swung on her anchor.

Close-up of the after sections of V-1 & V-2 showing the permanently mounted cranes used for hoisting items aboard and lowering them into the aft hatch. These did not retract into the hull or superstructure and must have caused a lot of drag when submerged.

This photo was taken circa 1930's at Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii. The submarines are moored at Sierra 12. The submerged grave of the USS F-4 is directly in front of the subs. The space between the causeways joining Kuahua Island (at the left) to the main island is yet to be filled in. Pearl City is in the background at the right edge.

The submarines are, left to right; USS Bass, B-2, V-2; USS Narwhal, N-1 V-5; USS Argonaut, A-1, V-4; USS Bonita, B-3, V-3 and USS Barracuda, B-1 , V-1. In the lower left of the photo is the Submarine Tender USS Bushnell AS-2.

None of these submarines had air-conditioning so awnings were rigged over decks and hatches in efforts to keep the interiors cool or coolish.

Undated photo of three V-Class submarines moored at an undisclosed location. The submarines are from L to R, a Barracuda Class submarine, which could be the V-1, the V-2 or V-3. The next sub is the USS Nautilus, V-6 and the right hand sub appears to be the USS Narwhal, V-5 but that is uncertain. The bow bullnose configuration is the same for the Narwhal, Nautilus as well as for Argonaut, V-4.

In the background of the photo is the tender USS Holland. In the foreground is the American Flag flown from the stern of what is presumed to be another submarine. All vessels have "dressed ship" with their signal flags in celebration of some special event.

This is a fine, large,1933 Rotogravure photo of the USS Holland at San Diego anchored with her brood of five "V" class submarines. The original picture is very dark and a purplely brown in color. We had to lighten it up a great deal to get this detail. Visible, also, are the many ripples as the paper has stretched over the 83 years this image has been in existence.

Many vessels are seen in the background. They are presumed to be assembled at San Diego Harbor, along with these submarines, ready to participate in a big war game, the 1933 Fleet Problem XIV, (14). This war game was to take place in the Eastern Pacific waters that stretched from the West Coast and California shores to the Hawaiian Islands and from south at Magdalena Bay, Baja, Mexico north to Puget Sound, Washington State. A vast body of water for this massive war game. Many parts of this war game were to be put into use during WW II out of necessity. The games stressed a lot of independent thought and initiative on the part of commanding officers in the type of tactics used to solve the problems and attain a victory. Something, after the destruction of the battleships at Pearl Harbor, the Navy and Submarine service would need in great quantity and used successfully.

This close-up of the five submarines moored to Holland are, in order out from the tender; USS Bass, (ex-V-2), her B-2 designation can be seen on her conning tower. The next submarine appears to be the USS Dolphin, The letter "D" can be seen on her conning tower. The Dolphin, (V-7 though the designation was never used except in the building process), was the only "V" class to have a "D" designation. The middle submarine is the USS Nautilus, (ex-V-6), her N-2 can be read clearly on her conning tower. The fourth submarine is the USS Barracuda, (ex-V-1), with B-1 painted on the sides of the conning tower. The last submarine, no designation can be seen but a good educated guess is the USS Narwhal, (ex-V-5), N-1. Of the large V-class subs the Narwhal and Nautilus had raised gun decks the other large submarine was Argonaut, (ex-V-4), designated as "A-1" and she did not have any raised gun decks.

An even closer view of the five submarines though not very clear. The description is repeated.

Close-up of the five submarines moored to Holland are, in order out from the tender; USS Bass, (ex-V-2), her B-2 designation can be seen on her conning tower. The next submarine appears to be the USS Dolphin, The letter "D" can be seen on her conning tower. The Dolphin, (V-7 though the designation was never used except in the building process), was the only "V" class to have a "D" designation. The middle submarine is the USS Nautilus, (ex-V-6), her N-2 can be read clearly on her conning tower. The fourth submarine is the USS Barracuda, (ex-V-1), with B-1 painted on the sides of the conning tower. The last submarine, no designation can be seen but a good educated guess is the USS Narwhal, (ex-V-5), N-1. Of the large V-class subs the Narwhal and Nautilus had raised gun decks the other large submarine was Argonaut, (ex-V-4), designated as "A-1" and she did not have any raised gun decks.

An undated photo of the Submarine Tender USS Holland with both surface vessels and submarines moored to her. This photo is roughly circa 1933 and the location is most likely San Diego, California. To the left side is the USS Eagle number 58 and either the USS Chewink ASR-3 or the USS Robin AM-3. There is not enough detail to be sure

To the right in the photo is a diverse assembly of submarines. Next to the Holland is the USS Narwhal in black paint. She wore this color twice in her career, in the early 1930's and again in the later 1930's into the early 40's. A photo of her on December 7, 1941 shows her in black paint.

Next to her is her sister, the USS Nautilus. Beside her is the USS Barracuda, the first of the "V" designated submarines and lastly the USS S-20. The S-29 had been a test vessel for the Navy exploring ways to improve sea keeping and endurance. As a result the S-20 acquired a new bow for dryer decks and buoyancy, hull "blisters" for fuel stowage for greater distance and various other systems improvements.

The 1933 time frame is based on the fact the USS Chewink was decommissioned in 1933 and brought back into service in 1940 and after recommissioning was sent to New London. If this is the USS Robin, then she was stationed in the San Diego/San Pedro area in this time frame.The USS Eagle number 58 was placed out of commission in 1934 and scrapped in 1940. All of the submarines in this time frame were attached to SubDiv 12 which the Holland was Flag Ship for.