Construction Started on First American Submarine

It could be said that submarine history began on this day in 1896, when construction was started on the vessel that would become USS Holland, the first truly successful submarine in the world.

Her designer, John P. Holland, is pictured above.

Within five years of being commissioned in 1900, over 20 Holland-type submarines were in operation around the world. Modern submarines still use many of the same basic engineering principles that John P. Holland incorporated into his submarine.