USN:
On the night of 25 September 1925,
S-51 was operating on the surface near
Block Island, with her running lights on. The merchant steamer
City of Rome spotted a single white masthead light but were unable to determine its course, speed, or intentions. The ship altered her course away from the unknown light to give whatever it might be greater leeway. Meanwhile,
S-51 spotted the ship's masthead and green sidelights, and held her course as she was required to do by the Rules of the Road then in effect. Shortly after altering course,
City of Rome spotted the submarine's red sidelight and realized that they were on collision courses. She turned and backed her engines, but it was too late. Twenty-two minutes after first spotting the submarine's masthead light, the steamer rammed her at the position
41°14′30″N 71°16′16″W.
[2]
Only three, (Dewey G. Kile, Michael E. Lira, and Alfred Geier) of the 36 men in the submarine were able to abandon ship before she sank.
The courts found
City of Rome at fault for not reducing her speed when in doubt as to the movement of
S-51, and for not signalling her change of course. However, both the district court and the Circuit Court of Appeals found
S-51 at fault for having improper lights.
The
United States Navy argued that it was not practicable to have
submarines of this class comply with the letter of the law, and that, as a special type of warship,
S-51 was under no legal compulsion to do so. The court responded by saying if these statements were correct, then submarines "should confine their operation to waters not being traversed by other ships."
S-51 was raised on 5 July 1926 by a team led by then-
Lieutenant Commander (later
Rear Admiral)
Edward Ellsberg. The entire salvage operation was commanded by
Captain (later
Fleet Admiral)
Ernest J. King. She was struck from the
Naval Vessel Register on 27 January 1930 and sold for scrap on 23 June to the Borough Metal Company of
Brooklyn, New York.
S-51's bell was removed and taken to the Submarine Force Library & Museum at Groton, Connecticut.
