View source for Soviet submarine S-4

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{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country=Soviet Union
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Soviet Union|naval-1935}}
|Ship name=''S-4''
|Ship ordered=
|Ship awarded=
|Ship builder=[[Baltic Shipyard]], [[Leningrad]]
|Ship original cost=
|Ship yard number=277
|Ship way number=
|Ship laid down=3 January 1936
|Ship launched=17 September 1936
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|Ship completed=
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|Ship commissioned=27 November 1939
|Ship recommissioned=
|Ship decommissioned=
|Ship refit=
|Ship struck=31 March 1945
|Ship reinstated=
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|Ship identification=
|Ship captured=
|Ship fate=Sunk on 6 January 1945 in [[Gdańsk Bay]] by torpedo boat {{ship|German torpedo boat|T3||2}}
|Ship notes=
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}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class=[[Soviet S-class submarine|S-class]] [[submarine]] (Series IX-bis)
|Ship displacement=*{{convert|856|t|LT|abbr=on}} surfaced
*{{convert|1090|t|LT|abbr=on}} submerged
|Ship length= {{convert|77.8|m|ftin|abbr= on}}
|Ship beam= {{convert|6.4|m|ftin|abbr= on}}
|Ship draft= {{convert|4|m|ftin|abbr= on}}
|Ship propulsion=*2 × [[diesel engine]]s
*2 × [[electric motor]]s
*2 × [[propeller shaft (ship)|shaft]]s
|Ship speed=* {{convert|18.85|kn|km/h|lk=in}} surfaced
* {{convert|8.8|kn|km/h}} submerged
|Ship range= {{convert|9500|nmi|km|lk=in|abbr=on}}
|Ship endurance=
|Ship test depth={{convert|80|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|Ship complement=45
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*6 × [[torpedo tube]]s
*2 × [[deck gun]]s
|Ship armor=
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox service record
|is_ship=yes
|label=Service record <ref name="storm" />
|partof=Baltic Fleet 1st Submarine Brigade
|commanders=*D. S. Abrosimov
*27 November 1939 – 15 August 1942
*A. A. Bashchenko
*15 August 1942 – 20 May 1943
*E. G. Yunakov
*25 May – 20 August 1943
*V. A. Chervinsky
*20 August 1944 – 9 March 1944
*A. A. Klyushkin
*17 March 1944 – 6 January 1945
|operations=*First war patrol:
*30 January – 8 February 1940
*Second war patrol:
*23 June –10 July 1941
*Third war patrol:
*6 August – 17 August 1941
*Fourth war patrol:
*19 October – 18 November 1941
*Fifth war patrol:
*13 June  – 28 July 1942
*Sixth war patrol:
*14 October – 23 October 1944
*Seventh war patrol:
*24 November 1944 – 6 January 1945
|victories=2 merchant ships sunk ({{GRT|1,751}})
}}
|}
'''''S-4''''' was an [[Soviet S-class submarine|S-class]] [[submarine]] of the [[Soviet Navy]]. The boat entered service in the [[Baltic Fleet]] in November 1939 and took part in the [[Winter War]] and in [[World War II]]. ''S-4'' [[Baltic Sea campaigns (1939–1945)|carried out seven patrols in the Baltic Sea]] and sank two merchant ships for a total of {{GRT|1,751|disp=long}}, before being destroyed by the German torpedo boat {{ship|German torpedo boat|T3||2}} in early January 1945.

==Design==
The ''Srednyaya'' or S-class submarine ({{lang-ru|Средняя|lit=medium}}), also called the ''Stalinets'' class ({{lang-ru|Сталинец|lit=follower of Stalin}}), was an ocean-going [[diesel electric]] [[attack submarine]]. Its [[pressure hull]] had seven compartments, and the Series IX-bis submarine's displacement was {{convert|856|t|LT}} while on the surface and {{convert|1090|t|LT}} while submerged. It had a length of {{convert|77.8|m|ftin|abbr= on}}, a beam of {{convert|6.4|m|ftin}}, and a draft of {{convert|4|m|ftin}}. It had two [[diesel engine]]s to power it on the surface and two [[electric motor]]s for when it was submerged, providing {{convert|4000|shp}} and {{convert|1100|shp}}, respectively, to the two [[propeller shaft (ship)|propeller shaft]]s. This gave it a speed of {{convert|18.85|kn|km/h|lk=in}} on the surface and {{convert|8.8|kn|km/h}} while underwater, and the submarine had a range of {{convert|9500|nmi|km|lk=in}}. Its test depth was {{convert|80|m|ft}}, and as armament it had six {{convert|530|mm|in||abbr=on}} [[torpedo tube]]s, one {{convert|100|mm|in|abbr=on}} [[deck gun]], and one {{convert|45|mm|in|abbr=on}} gun.<ref>{{Cite web | last = Helgason | first = Guðmundur |title=S (Stalinec) class |url=https://uboat.net/allies/warships/class/215.html |work=Uboat.net |access-date=16 May 2024}}</ref>{{sfn|Gardiner|Chesneau|1980|p=337}}{{sfn|Yakubov|Worth|2008|pages=136–137}}

''S-4'' was the first of the Series IX-bis boats, which were a modification of the original three boats of the S-class, the Series IX. The main difference between them was the replacement of German components used in Series IX with Soviet equivalents that could be manufactured domestically.{{sfn|Yakubov|Worth|2008|pages=138–141}}

==Commissioning==
''S-4'' was originally called ''N-4'' (yard number 277) and was laid down on 3 January 1936 at the [[Baltic Shipyard]] in [[Leningrad]]. The submarine was launched on 17 September 1936, and on 20 October 1937 its designation was changed to ''S-4''. The boat was commissioned on 27 November 1939 and assigned to the [[Red Banner Baltic Fleet]], with [[Captain-lieutenant]] Dmitry S. Abrosimov in command. ''S-4'' became part of the 16th Submarine Squadron of the Baltic Fleet's 1st Submarine Brigade.<ref name="storm">{{Cite web |last=Nikolayev |first=Andrei |title=С-4 |trans-title=S-4 |language=ru |work=Deepstorm.ru |url=https://www.deepstorm.ru/DeepStorm.files/17-45/c%20IX-b/S-4/S-4.htm |access-date=20 May 2024 }}</ref><ref name="sovboat">{{cite web |last=Chirva |first=Evgeny |title="С-4" |trans-title="S-4" |language=ru |work=Sovboat.ru |access-date=20 May 2024 |url=http://www.sovboat.ru/ship/s4.php3 }}</ref>

==Winter War==
Even though ''S-4'' had entered service just before the outbreak of the Soviet [[Winter War|war with Finland]] in late November 1939, the submarine spent the first two months of the conflict [[Soviet–Latvian Mutual Assistance Treaty|at its base]] in [[Liepāja]], [[Latvia]].<ref name="storm" />

===First patrol===
''S-4'' went on its first war patrol on 30 January 1940 under the command of Captain-lieutenant Abrosimov. Instead of taking part in the naval blockade of [[Finland]], ''S-4'' was tasked with monitoring the [[Swedish Navy]] in a position between the islands of [[Gotland]] and [[Öland]]. The submarine spent several days at the location before being ordered to return to its base. ''S-4'' had to pass through the ice on the Baltic Sea on its way back, which it did initially on its own before getting stuck, and received assistance from the gunboat {{ship|Soviet gunboat|Krasnoye Znamya||2}}. ''S-4'' had to be towed the rest of the way and it returned to port on 8 February 1940. The submarine remained at its base for the rest of the conflict because of the sea ice. The ice had also damaged its hull.<ref name="storm" /><ref name="sovboat" />

==World War II==
In May 1940 ''S-4'' was ordered to be transferred with several other submarines to the [[Northern Fleet]], but this was cancelled in the following month. On 11 February 1941 it was reassigned to the 1st Submarine Squadron of the Baltic Fleet's 1st Submarine Brigade.<ref name="storm" />

===Second patrol===
At the start of [[Operation Barbarossa]] ''S-4'' was located at the [[Ust-Dvinsk]] base in [[Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic|Soviet Latvia]]. It went on patrol near [[Klaipėda|Memel]] starting on 23 June 1941.<ref name="storm" /><ref name="sovboat" /> The ''S-4'' attacked an unidentified merchant ship on 25 June with no success.<ref name="uboat" /> On the 27th ''S-4'' encountered another Soviet submarine, the [[minelayer]] submarine {{ship|Soviet submarine|L-3||2}}, which it mistook for an enemy initially. ''S-4'' later found some [[minesweeper]]s but chose not to attack them, and returned to base on 10 July 1940.<ref name="storm" /><ref name="sovboat" /> 

While it was docked ''S-4'' was attacked by aircraft, and on 12 July it departed for the port of [[Tallinn]]. It later [[Soviet evacuation of Tallinn|evacuated Tallinn]] with the rest of the Soviet Baltic Fleet.<ref name="storm" />

===Third patrol===
''S-4'' began its next patrol on 6 August 1941, going to the Memel area, where it attacked a German merchant ship convoy on the 10th. The crew of ''S-4'' thought they sank a tanker after hearing the explosions of the torpedoes they fired, though this turned out to be false because the torpedoes missed. After this, ''S-4'' was subjected to a [[depth charge]] attack lasting for 10 hours and involving 33 depth charges. The submarine took significant damage to its hull and [[ballast tank]]s, the lights went out, and its hatches began leaking. When the attack ended ''S-4'' rose to the surface and left. Once on the surface, the crew found buoys with lights that were left behind by the Germans to mark the spot where it had been. ''S-4'' ended its patrol and on 17 August was met by escort ships near the [[Ristna Lighthouse]] to guide the submarine to Tallinn. For this patrol, ''S-4''{{'}}s commanding officer, Captain-lieutenant Dmitry Abrosimov, was recommended by his superiors to be made a [[Hero of the Soviet Union]], but instead he was awarded the [[Order of Lenin]].<ref name="storm" /><ref name="sovboat" /><ref name="uboat" />

From 28 to 29 August 1941, ''S-4'' was transferred with the main force of the Baltic Fleet from Tallinn to [[Kronstadt]], and during September and October the submarine underwent repairs.<ref name="storm" /><ref name="sovboat" />

===Fourth patrol===
After its repairs, ''S-4'' went on patrol on 19 October 1941 near the island of [[Gogland]]. The submarine waited for German warships that were expected to be in the area but they never arrived. On 1 November ''S-4'' damaged its left propeller on some rocks, but it remained on patrol until the 17th, which was uneventful. ''S-4'' returned to Kronstadt on the following day, and on 22 November it was transferred to Leningrad for repairs that lasted for several months.<ref name="storm" /><ref name="sovboat" />

===Fifth patrol===
''S-4'' left Kronstadt for the island of [[Moshchny Island|Lavansaari]] on 13 June 1942, then proceeded from there with several other submarines into the Baltic. ''S-4'' was assigned to the patrol area near [[Gdańsk Bay]], but on 15 June it had to briefly return to Lavansaari for some more repairs. Late on the 16th the submarine departed to return to its patrol area, and it was attacked by some Finnish patrol boats on the 19th near [[Porkkala Lighthouse|Porkkala Kallbåda]], which caused significant damage. The crew made successful repairs and arrived near the [[Cape Rozewie|Riksgaft lighthouse]] on 28 June, close to Gdańsk Bay, where ''S-4'' fired torpedoes that same day against the German freighter ''Fritz Schoop''. None of the torpedoes made a hit, and the submarine's commander decided against surfacing to attack the transport with deck guns so close to the coast. The next day, German forces arrived at the location of the attack to search for ''S-4'' and dropped 20 depth charges, though ''S-4'' was able to get away.<ref name="storm" /><ref name="sovboat" /><ref name="uboat" />

On 13 July 1942 ''S-4'' was ordered to [[Karlskrona]], where it encountered some transports but the commander decided not to attack because they were in Swedish waters. The submarine began returning to its base on 20 July, and on the 24th it encountered a convoy of ships in the area close to the [[Pakri Lighthouse]]. ''S-4'' fired torpedoes at a ship but none of them hit. Afterwards ''S-4'' returned to Kronstadt on 28 July despite being attacked by Finnish aircraft and coastal artillery along the way. During the patrol ''S-4'' had problems with its torpedoes, as they either did not leave the torpedo tube or sank before reaching their target.<ref name="storm" /><ref name="sovboat" /><ref name="uboat" />

In mid-August 1942, when ''S-4'' was sent to Leningrad for repairs, it was hit by a mine as it approached the Leningrad canal, which killed its commanding officer Abrosimov and several others. The submarine ran aground for a few hours before it was assisted and able to get underway again. ''S-4'' reached the city without any further damage. There the boat received several months of repair work, but when it became ready to go to sea again, on 30 April 1943 hydrogen vapor from the electric battery caused an explosion, delaying its return to service until 1944. During this time ''S-4'' had several new captains. On 16 September 1944 the submarine received orders to prepare for a patrol.<ref name="storm" /><ref name="sovboat" />

===Sixth patrol===
''S-4'' went on patrol on 4 October 1944 under the command of [[Captain 3rd rank]] Alexei A. Klyushkin. On the 11th it arrived to a position about fifty miles north of the [[Stilo Lighthouse]] on the coast of [[Occupation of Poland|Poland]], where on the following day ''S-4'' attacked merchant ships on several occasions. Almost all of its attacks missed because of continued problems with its torpedoes, though it sank the [[fishing trawler]] ''Taunus''. It had more success on 13 October, when ''S-4'' torpedoed and sank the 1,533-ton tanker ''Terra'', at a location 24 miles northwest of the Stilo Lighthouse. Over the next several days ''S-4'' made several other attacks against merchant ships in the same area without any more successes. It returned to a base in [[Helsinki]] on 23 October 1944.<ref name="storm" /><ref name="sovboat" /><ref name="uboat" />

===Seventh patrol===
''S-4'' began its last patrol on 24 November 1944, and on 14 December it attacked a convoy near the [[Akmeņrags Lighthouse]], Latvia, without any success. It possibly attacked another convoy on the 22nd near [[Pillau]]. Sometime between 5 or 7 January 1945 (sources give different dates), ''S-4'' surfaced 100 meters in front of a torpedo boat, {{ship|German torpedo boat|T3||2}}, that was escorting a German transport ship. ''T3'' rammed the submarine and then followed up by dropping depth charges. ''S-4'' was lost with all 48 hands, and it was stricken from the navy list by the Soviet Navy on 31 March 1945.<ref name="storm" /><ref name="sovboat" /><ref name="uboat" />

==Career summary==
{| class=wikitable
|-
|+ Ships sunk by ''S-4''<ref name="uboat">{{Cite web | last = Helgason | first = Guðmundur |url=https://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/5089.html |title=S-4 of the Soviet Navy |work=Uboat.net |access-date=20 May 2024 }}</ref>
|-
! Date
! Ship
! Flag
! Tonnage
! Notes
|-
| 12 October 1944
| [[List of shipwrecks in October 1944#12 October|''Taunus'']]
| {{flagicon|Nazi Germany}}
| {{right|{{GRT|218}}}}
| torpedo     
|-
| 13 October 1944
| [[List of shipwrecks in October 1944#13 October|''Terra'']]
| {{flagicon|Nazi Germany}}
| {{right|{{GRT|1533}}}}
| torpedo     
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align:right;"|'''Total:'''|| 1,751 GRT||
|}

==Wreck site==
The wreckage of ''S-4'' was discovered in the summer of 2014 at the depth of {{convert|72|m|ft}} near the coast of [[Kaliningrad]]. Part of the hull near the stern was destroyed by a mine.<ref name="storm" /><ref name="sovboat" />

==Notes==
{{reflist|30em}}

==References==
* {{cite book |editor-last=Gardiner |editor-first=Robert |editor-last2=Chesneau |editor-first2=Roger |name-list-style=amp |year=1980 |title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946 |publisher=Conway Maritime Press |location=London |isbn=0-85177-146-7 }}
* {{Cite book |last1=Yakubov |first1=Vladimir |last2=Worth |first2=Richard |title=Raising the Red Banner: A Pictorial History of Stalin's Fleet 1920–1945 |publisher=Spellmount |location=Chalford, Stroud |year=2008 |isbn=978-1-86227-450-1 }}

{{January 1945 shipwrecks}}
{{Stalinets class submarine}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:S-4}}
[[Category:1936 ships]]
[[Category:Soviet S-class submarines]]
[[Category:World War II submarines of the Soviet Union]]
[[Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Baltic Sea]]
[[Category:Submarines lost with all hands]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in January 1945]]