The Sinking of Submarine S-51, What We Know 100 Years Later

What we know about the sinking of the S-51 in 2025

First reports must often be incomplete. Once the investigations were done, once the S-51 was salvaged, this story was revealed.

The S-51 submarine out of New London, Connecticut, was out conducting exercises. It was on the surface with its running lights on. The City of Rome spotted the submarine but misjudged its course and speed. According to maritime rules in 1925, the S-51 had the right of way, so it continued on its course. By the time the City of Rome realized it needed to change course, it was too late, and the ship rammed the submarine on the starboard side, directly striking the battery room where most of the crew was asleep.

The submarine sank in less than a minute. There was no time to seal the watertight doors. Some men were thrown into the water and drowned. Only three men survived. They had been thrown from their bunks and were able to swim to safety. They were rescued by a small boat and brought aboard the City of Rome. The sub came to rest in 132 feet of water 14 miles east of Block Island. Thirty-three crew members perished.

The navy undertook a massive salvage operation, led by Commander Edward Ellsberg. The S-51 was raised in the summer of 1926, brought to the Brooklyn Navy Yard and displayed before being sold for scrap.

To see photos and read more about the U.S. Submarine S-51 Memorial Site, go to

www.s51memorial.org/accident

Survivors:

ALFRED GEIER. Electrician's mate, 2nd class. New Bedford, Mass.

MICHAEL LIRA. Fireman, 1st class. St. Louis, Missouri.

DEWEY G. KILE. Engineman, 1st class. Peoria, Mississippi.

Officers—All Killed

Rodney Hiram Dobson, Lieutenant, S-51 commanding officer, Brockport, Conn.

Frederic David Foster, Lieutenant Junior Grade, Nutley, N.J.

Turner Ashby Glascock, Lieutenant Junior Grade, San Antonio, Texas

James Dudley Haselden, Lieutenant Junior Grade, Dillon, S.C.

Harlow Milton Pino, Lieutenant Junior Grade, Long Beach, Calif.

Edmund Webster Egbert, Ensign, Mariner’s Harbor, N.Y.

Lost Enlisted Men

Paul Daniel Berk, Engineman, 2nd Class, Shoemakersville, Penn.

Ralph Edward Cassidy, Gunner’s Mate, 2nd class, Claremont, New Hampshire

Henry Lee Crawford, Radioman, 1st class, Ardmore, Oklahoma

Allan Clifford Earle, Engineman, 1st Class, Gloucester, Mass.

Harry Dick Elser, Coxswain, Columbus, Ohio

Rudy Firm, Motor Machinist’s Mate, 1st class, Klein, Montana

John Law Gibson, Engineman, 2nd class, Portland, Oregon

Valentine Hiltbold, Chief Torpedoman, Newport, Rhode Island

Franklin Pierce James, Chief Motor Machinist’s Mate, Stratford, Conn.

Walter Edward Lawton, Electrician’s Mate, 1st class, N. Weymouth, Mass.

Brady Domono Lindsay, Engineman, 2nd class, Pensacola, Fla.

George Henry Miller, Officer’s Cook, 2nd class, Philadelphia, Penn.

John Joseph McCarthy, Seaman, 1st class, New York, N.Y.

Oscar Joseph Milot, Fireman, 3rd class, Graniteville, Mass.

Frank Lester Mims, Fireman, 3rd class, Augusta, Georgia

Robert Seth Noble, Motor Machinist’s Mate, 3rd class, Merrimac, Mass.

James Marland Schofield, Radioman, 1st class, Bridgeport, Conn.

Frank Archibald Shea, Electrician’s Mate, 1st class, Gloucester, Mass.

John Joseph Sheehan, Motor Machinist’s Mate, 1st class, Groton, Conn.

Augustus Alexander Smith, Torpedoman, 2nd class, Milton, Florida

Herbert Eadleman Snyder, Chief Signalman, Philadelphia, Penn.

Frederick Peter Teschemacher, Seaman, 1st class, Bangor, Penn.

William Charles Teschemacher, Seaman, 1st class, Bangor, Penn.

Charles Carrol Thomas, Fireman, 2nd class, El Paso, Texas

Stephen Hartley Triffit, Torpedoman, 3rd class, Pawtucket, Rhode Island

Robert Holland Mills, Torpedoman, 1st class, Norfolk, Virginia

Frank Collins Wiseman, Torpedoman, 3rd class, South Boston, Mass.

You can see photographs of many of these young men at www.s51memorial.org/Crew