USS O-14

The later O-boats (O-11 through O-16) were designed by Lake Torpedo Boat Company to different specifications from the earlier ones designed by Electric Boat. They did not perform as well, and are sometimes considered a separate class.[1] The submarines had a length of 175 feet 3 inches (53.4 m) overall, a beam of 16 feet 9 inches (5.1 m) and a mean draft of 13 feet 9 inches (4.2 m). They displaced 491 long tons (499 t) on the surface and 566 long tons (575 t) submerged. The O-class submarines had a crew of 29 officers and enlisted men. They had a diving depth of 200 feet (61.0 m).[2]

For surface running, the boats were powered by two 440-brake-horsepower (328 kW) diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 370-horsepower (276 kW) electric motor. They could reach 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) on the surface and 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph) underwater. On the surface, the O class had a range of 5,500 nautical miles (10,200 km; 6,300 mi) at 11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph).[2]

The boats were armed with four 18-inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes in the bow. They carried four reloads, for a total of eight torpedoes. The O-class submarines were also armed with a single 3"/50 caliber deck gun.[2]

O-14 was laid down on 6 July 1916 at California Shipbuilding Company in Long Beach, California. The boat was launched on 6 May 1918 sponsored by Miss Eleanor N. Hatch, and commissioned on 1 October 1918. One of many N and O-class submarines building just prior to the U.S. entry into World War I, O-14 commissioned too late for World War I combat service, but reported to Cape May, New Jersey, in 1919. In September, she was placed in commission, in reserve, at Cape May. In October she proceeded to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for fitting out.

In 1922, O-14 was based at Coco Solo, Panama Canal Zone; on 26 January, she sailed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba on a trial run. At Guantanamo Bay in February, she operated in formation in and around the Virgin Islands in March, before returning to Coco Solo. In May, O-14, with O-15 and O-16, resumed diving operations, which continued into 1923 as SubDiv 10 conducted diving tactical operations. In November, O-14 proceeded to Philadelphia.

Decommissioning on 17 June 1924 after just five and a half years of service, O-14 was turned over to the Commandant, Navy Yard, Philadelphia. Struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 9 May 1930, the boat was scrapped in accordance with the London Naval Treaty on 30 July 1930.

• Friedman, Norman (1995). U.S. Submarines Through 1945: An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-263-3.
• Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.
• This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

• Photo gallery of USS O-14 at NavSource Naval History