Today is the 95th anniversary of the commissioning of America's first diesel-powered submarine, the USS E-1. Originally named Skipjack, the 135-ft. long boat was launched on May 27, 1911 from the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts. Six months later, the U.S. Navy (USN) removed the Skipjack's gasoline-powered propulsion system. Chester Nimitz, a 26-year old lieutenant who had once been court-martialed for hazarding a ship, supervised the installation of new 700-hp diesel engines. Fortunately for Nimitz, the refitting of his new boat went according to plan. On February 14, 1912, Lt. Nimitz assumed command of the newly-named USS E-1 during a ceremony in Groton, Connecticut. After a successful cruise along the Eastern seaboard, Nimitz took charge of the Atlantic Submarine Flotilla. During World War II, he would command U.S. naval forces in the Pacific.
Until the advent of nuclear marine propulsion, most twentieth-century submarines used gasoline or diesel engines on the surface, and to recharge their batteries for underwater operation. Early submarines burned gasoline, but eventually switched to paraffin or diesel to reduce the risk of fire. In time, diesel-electric systems became the standard means of propulsion. Separated by clutches, a diesel engine and electric motor could be placed on the same shaft to drive the propeller. This allowed the engine to drive the electric motor as a generator, and to recharge the batteries and propel the submarine. The clutch between the motor and the engine was disengaged when the submarine dived so that the motor could be used to turn the propeller. The motor could have more than one armature on the shaft. Typically, these armatures were coupled in series for slow speed (group down) and in parallel for high speed (group up).
The USS-E1, America's first diesel-powered submarine, was not the first boat of its kind. In 1904, the French submarine Aigette used a diesel engine instead of a gasoline engine for surface power. On the eve of World War I, the French Navy owned 76 diesel submarines. The USN played catch-up, but eventually became the world's leading submarine power.
Resources:
http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/cno/n87/history/chrono.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Submarines
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_submarines
http://www.submarine-history.com/NOVAtwo.htm
http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/e1/e-1.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Skipjack_(SS-24)
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