Last Morse Code: The Final Plea for Rescue USS S-4

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Sinking of USS S-4 (1927): A Tragedy That Changed Naval History

On December 17, 1927, the USS S-4 (SS-109), a U.S. Navy S-class submarine, was conducting routine tests off the coast of Provincetown, Massachusetts, when tragedy struck. The Coast Guard destroyer USS Paulding, patrolling nearby waters, failed to spot the submarine surfacing. Before the crew could react, the destroyer’s bow tore into the sub’s hull, flooding it instantly. The USS S-4 sank within minutes, coming to rest 110 feet below the surface.

Of the 40 crew members aboard, six sailors in the forward torpedo room survived the initial sinking. They banged out Morse code messages on the submarine’s steel walls, signaling that they were alive. Rescue teams, led by Commander Ernest King (future Chief of Naval Operations), rushed to save them, but the bitter cold, outdated technology, and freezing equipment hindered every attempt.

Divers fought relentlessly to deliver oxygen, but their hoses froze in the icy waters, cutting off the survivors' only lifeline. For three agonizing days, hope remained—until, on December 21, the tapping from inside the sub went silent. The last six men had succumbed to carbon dioxide poisoning, exhaustion, and the freezing depths.

This devastating loss became a turning point in naval history. The U.S. Navy developed the McCann Rescue Chamber and the Momsen Lung, two groundbreaking technologies that later saved 33 sailors from the USS Squalus in 1939.

The USS S-4 was lost, but its tragedy led to life-saving advancements that shaped the future of submarine rescue operations.
Fact-Checked Note:
The USS S-4 sank on December 17, 1927, after being accidentally rammed by the USS Paulding off the coast of Provincetown, Massachusetts.
The last Morse code signals were received on December 21, 1927.
All 40 crew members perished due to drowning, freezing temperatures, or carbon dioxide poisoning.
This disaster led to the development of the McCann Rescue Chamber, which was later successfully used to save 33 sailors from the USS Squalus in 1939.
Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (www.history.navy.mil)

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