D-1 -Narwhal (SS—17)

 

 

 

D-1

(SS-17: dp. 288; 1. 134'10"; b. 13'11"; dr. 11'8"; s. 13
k.; cpl. 15; a. 4 18" tt.; cl. D)

D-1 was launched as Narwhal (SS—17) on 8 April 1909 by Fore River Shipbuilding Co., Quincy, Mass., under a subcontract from Electric Boat Co., Groton, Conn., sponsored by Mrs. G. C. Davison; and commissioned 23 November 1909, Lieutenant J. C. Townsend in command. She was renamed D-1, 17 November 1911.

Narwhal joined the Atlantic Torpedo Fleet, based at Newport. These pioneer submarines operated very actively in diving grounds in Cape Cod and Narragansett Bays, Long Island and Block Island Sounds and Chesapeake Bay, and off Norfolk, on target ranges proving torpedoes, experimental operations, and cruises along the east coast. From 20 January to 11 April 1913 the flotilla cruised to the Caribbean, and from 5 January to 21 April 1914 visited Gulf and Florida ports.

During World War I D-l trained crews and classes of officers and served in experiments in the 3d Naval district. After overhaul, D-1 was placed in commission in reserve 9 September 1919, continuing her work of training new submariners along with experimental and development work. On 15 July 1921 she was placed in commission in ordinary. She was towed to Philadelphia Navy Yard arriving 30 January 1922. Decommissioned 8 February 1922, her hulk was sold 5 June 1922.