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Submitted: 3/18/14 • Approved: 3/18/14 • Last Updated: 3/21/14 • R273201-G0-S3
1906 ~ 1927
Seaman 2nd Class
USS S-4 (SS-109) was an S-class submarine of the United States Navy. On 17 December 1927, she was sunk by being accidentally rammed by a Coast Guard destroyer (Paulding) with the loss of all hands. Seaman Pelnar was trapped in the forward torpedo room with five other sailors. When the submarine was salvaged and the bodies were removed. In Seaman Pelnar's pocket a note was found. In red crayon on a small piece of cardboard was written, "My body to Pelnar 5609 South 19 St, Omaha, NE". SS-109 was returned to active duty in October 1928 and was employed as a submarine rescue and salvage test ship. Work with this boat helped to develop equipment and techniques that a decade later were used to rescue 33 men alive from the sunken submarine Squalus.
Contributed on 3/18/14 by bwhiteing
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Record #: 273201