USS Holland (SS-1)

USS Holland (SS-1) was the United States Navy's first submarine, named for her inventor, John Philip Holland. She was launched by Crescent Shipyards of Elizabeth, New Jersey, in 1898 and was commissioned on October 12, 1900, at Newport, Rhode Island, with Lieutenant Harry H. Caldwell in command.

On October 16, 1900, Holland left Newport under tow of tug Leyden for Annapolis, Maryland, where she trained cadets of the United States Naval Academy as well as officers and enlisted men ordered there to receive training vital in preparing for the operation of other submarines being built for the Fleet.

Holland proved valuable for experimental purposes in collecting data for submarines under construction or contemplation. Her 166-mile surface run from Annapolis to Norfolk, Virginia, January 8 to January 10, 1901, provided useful data on her performance underway over an extended period.

Except for the period June 15 to October 1, 1901, which was passed training cadets at the Naval Torpedo Station, Newport, Rhode Island, Holland remained at Annapolis until July 17, 1905, as a training submarine.

Holland finished out her career at Norfolk, Virginia. Her name was struck from the Navy Register of Ships on November 21, 1910. She was sold as scrap to Henry A. Hitner & Sons, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 18, 1913. Her purchaser was required to put up $5,000 bond as assurance that the submarine would be broken up and not used as a ship.

General Characteristics

• Displacement: 64 tons
• Length: 63'10"
• Beam: 10'3"
• Draft: 8'6"
• Speed: 5 knots
• Complement: 7 men
• Armament: three 18-inch torpedo tubes, one eight-inch gun