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S-37 Submarine

Depth: 20' - 25'

What to See

Buried, crumbling submarine remains - visibility and access are surf-zone dependent.

Typical Conditions

Shallow but hazardous: surf zone, heavily silted, largely buried. Likely not practical for charter diving.

History

Identified as USS S-37 (SS-142), a WWI-era S-class submarine built by Union Iron Works, San Francisco; laid down 12 Dec 1918, launched 20 June 1919, commissioned 16 July 1923. Sank the Japanese destroyer Natsushio on 8 Feb 1942 (5 WWII battle stars). Decommissioned 6 Feb 1945, stripped, and lost while under tow for target-ship disposal on 20 Feb 1945 - though the official record instead frames her fate as sunk-as-target-by-aerial-bombing between April and June 1945; the two accounts are not reconciled. Salvaged for her propellers and metal in 1958; some recovered artifacts are reportedly on display at a San Diego museum.