USS S-33 (SS 138) was EB 73 C Design

She was built by United Iron Works;
Her keel was laid 14 June, 1918;
She was launched 5 December, 1918;
Her Sponsor was Mrs. T. M. Searles;
She was commissioned 21 December, 1922;
Her first Skipper was LT. Irving R. Chambers;

The history of USS S-33:

1 December, 1937 - USS S-33 was decommissioned at Philadelphia Navy Yard after serving in the Asiatic Fleet;

16 October, 1940 she was re-commissioned and assigned duty off the New England coast and out of Bermuda;

During December of 1941, she was overhauled in the Philadelphia Navy Yard then sent to the Panama Canal Zone where she conducted 2 defensive patrols in the western approaches;

In June of 1942, she was underway for San Diego to prepare for further transfer to the Aleutian Islands for patrol duties;

7 July, 1942 she began her war patrols out of Dutch Harbor in the Aleutians with LCDR Walter P. Schoeni in command;

During December of 1942 she returned to San Diego for overhaul then to Sound School training through February of 1943.

18 June, 1943 on the seventh war patrol USS S-33 under command of LCDR Stevens, destroyed three large fishing sampans with deck gun. Credit was given only for two;

14 July through 9 August, 1943 she made a photographic recon. patrol of the west coast of Kiska.

9 August, 1943 having completed nine war patrols in the Aleutians- Paramushic area, she returned to San Diego for overhaul. She remained there through the end of the war, providing services to the West Coast Sound School;

23 October, 1945 USS S-33 was decommissioned at Mare Island Navy Yard and struck from the Navy List

She was sold for scrap in 1946 to Salco Iron and Metal works in San Francisco, California.

USS S-33 received one Battle Star during World War II.

WAR PATROLS OF USS S-33 (SS 138)

1st war patrol, dates unknown, was from PA Canal Zone to PA. duration is unknown; no sinkings.
2nd war patrol was from 7 July, 1942 through 7 August, 1942 from DH Adak to DH. Duration was 31 days; no sinkings.
3rd war patrol was from 24 August, 1942 through 26 September from DH Adak to DH. Duration was 33 days; no sinkings.
4th war patrol was from 15 October, 1942 through 11 November from DH Kiska to DH. Duration was 27 days; no sinkings.
5th war patrol was from 23 November, 1942 through 9 December from DH Attu to DH. Duration was 16 days; no sinkings.
6th war patrol was from 25 April, 1943 through 22 May from DH Kuriles to DH. Duration was 27 days; no sinkings.
7th war patrol was from 4 June, 1943 through 2 July from DH Kuriles to DH. Duration 28 days. See above for sinkings.
8th war patrol was from 14 July, 1943 through 9 August from DH Kiska to DH. duration was 26 days; no sinkings.

SKIPPERS of USS S-33

LCDR Walter P. Schoeni was Commander for the first five patrols.
LCDR C. B. Stevens was Skipper for patrols number 6, 7 and 8.

Thanks to CHIEF KEN HENRY (1468-1990) for a lot of the details that go into the histories of the S-Boats.