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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

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F-3 (Submarine No. 22)

1912-1922

(Submarine No. 22: displacement 330; length 142'7"; beam 16'5"; draft 12'2"; speed 14 knots; complement 22; armament 4 18-inch torpedo tubes class F-1)

Pickerel (Submarine No. 22) was laid down on 17 August 1909 by The Moran Co. [a subcontractor for Electric Boat Co.]; renamed F-3 on 17 November 1911, launched on 6 January 1912; sponsored by Mrs. M. F. Backus; and commissioned on 5 August 1912, Ens. Kenneth Heron in command.

F-3 completed her trials in the Puget Sound area before reporting for duty at San Francisco, Calif., on 15 October 1912, when she joined the First Submarine Group, Pacific Torpedo Flotilla. The Flotilla operated along the coast of California, conducting  exercises and experimental work to develop submarine operations, and from August 1914 to November 1915, carried out similar operations in the Hawaiian Islands, the boats towed to their new operating area by armored cruisers. F-3 was placed in ordinary at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, Calif., on 15 March 1916, returning to full commission on 13 June 1917.

After training her new crew, F-3 was assigned to the Coast Torpedo Force, Pacific Fleet, based at San Pedro, Calif.. She engaged in daily operations, surfaced and submerged, training students of the submarine school. During maneuvers on 17 December 1917, she and F-1 (Submarine No. 20) collided, the latter sinking almost immediately. F-3 along with other submarines with whom she was operating rescued all but 19 of the crew of F-1. F-3 suffered a cracked bow cap and after repairs at Mare Island was assigned operations in cooperation with a civilian motion picture company in experiments with underwater photography.

From 1919 through 1921, F-3 served at San Pedro as training ship, and on 15 March 1922 she was decommissioned. She was sold on 17 August 1922.

Updated, Robert J. Cressman

15 May 2020 

Published: Mon May 18 08:48:27 EDT 2020