Frank Cable

Frank Taylor Cable (1863-1945) was an early pioneer in submarine development for the US Navy.

Frank Cable was the civilian trial captain during the developmental stages of the United States Navy's first submarine, Holland VI - before it was accepted for U.S. Navy service on 11 April 1900. The craft was then recognized as The USS Holland - and eventually with the SS-1 designation... America's first. USS Holland was commissioned on 12 October of 1900. [The circumstances under which Mr. Cable found himself offering his services to Holland's company (was one) that arose from a most "unusual" event that led to the "apparent" destruction of the famous Holland VI dockside, on October 13th, 1897].

As an associate and employee of Lawyer/Financier Isaac L. Rice, Cable would find himself assisting the inventor John Philip Holland with electrical issues that surfaced during an accident that serverly damaged the craft back on 13 October 1897. The submarine's internal components were compromised (due to internal damage by saltwater) and were in need of serious repair. Mr. Cable specialized in the design and production of propulsion machinery, including diesel engines and electric motors from which he gained much experience - as he worked with Rice's Electo-Dynamic and Storage Companies back in Philidelphia - the same companies that originally supplied Holland with this equipment. As an electrician working for Rice, Cable was able to successfully repair the damage to the electrical equipment installed on the Holland VI, thus saving Holland's company time and money - which Holland found himself running out of. Holland's financial situation was stressed - no thanks to this apparent "accident" that damaged his submarine while introducing "outsiders" into his company.

As with John Philip Holland and Arthur L. Busch, Cable ended up as one of the founders of the Electric Boat Company.

General Dynamics - Electric Boat continues in existence today, constructing the United States' most modern nuclear powered submarines of the Seawolf and Virginia class. The origins of the company that has been called upon to develop the Virginia class begins with the first submarines that were built at the Crescent Shipyard beginning in late 1896.

The USS Frank Cable (AS-40) is also named in his honour.

References

* The Birth and Development of the American Submarine. Written by Frank Taylor Cable. Published by Harper and Brothers in 1924.

• USS Frank Cable History

• Official Chief of Naval Operations web site at the Pentagon, under Submarine Warfare Division/Submarine Pioneers (http://www.navy.mil/navydata/cno/n87/history/pioneers.html)