Happy Birthday Submarine Service

On this day, the U.S. Navy made history by purchasing the first powered submersible.

USS Holland, named for designer and builder John P. Holland, was a small craft. She was only 53 feet long with a single 50-horsepower gasoline engine. Her test depth was only 75 feet! (This is about the depth of a modern Ohio-class submarine at periscope depth...)

Holland's career was brief, but vital. Within 10 years, over 25 submarines were in service or under construction, each new class larger and more capable than the last. Holland was struck from the Naval Register in 1910. Unfortunately, she was sold for scrap in 1913.

Fortunately, many patents were filed by Mr. Holland and many of her construction drawings remained in archives. In 2002, IBM digitally reconstructed USS Holland and brought her back to virtual life. AIMM has a copy of "The Holland Project" CD available for researchers.