Deployments - Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, New Hampshire

This chapter is still under construction
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNS) is one of the oldest shipyards in the United States (the oldest continuously operating) - and - interestingly - claimed by both New Hampshire and Maine. The base occupies Seavey island within the Piscataqua River touching neither New Hampshire nor Maine - the fact that the only bridge to the Island comes from Kittery Maine gives support to Maine's claim. The United States Supreme Court recently declined to intervene in the matter (New Hampshire was attempting to assert it's claim through the courts) - so the debate rages on. As the entire port area is known as Portsmouth - regardless wheter it is part of Portsmouth New Hampshire - or Kittery Maine - the base will always be known as Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

PNS enjoys a long relationship with the United States submarine fleet - starting with USS Castine between 1908 and 1913. Home ported at Portsmouth, Castine made routine calls at various East Coast ports servicing submarines. In 1920 USS Beaver (AS-5) steamed to the East Coast and assisted in the salvage of S-5. Then in 1921 Beaver became flagship of Submarine Flotilla and tender for Submarine Division 18, based at Portsmouth, N. H. where she stayed until sailing for the Asiatic Station in late 1921.

During the late 1930s and into the 1940s Portmouth did not have a permanent tender - however - both Chewick and Falcon made regular visits - rotating between mostly between Portsmouth and the State Pier at New London.

When O-9 failed to surface after a test dive on June 19, 1941 some 15 miles off of Portsmouth, USS Falcon became the lead recue ship with Portsmouth becoming the "base of operations". (Supplemental info courstesy Richard Law).

One of the many boats built at PNS headed out to sea.
Several of the many crains at PNS - including the very large floating crane in the foreground.
Go Back to Deployments - WWI
 Continue on to Deployments - New London
Return to TenderTale Main Page

© 2006 Common Cents Computers