On this day in 1927, U.S. Coast Guard destroyer Paulding collided with USS S-4 (SS 109), bottoming the submarine in 102 feet of water. With no other means of rescue, salvage boats hurried to raise S-4 to the surface in hopes of saving the crew inside.

Divers located six survivors by tapping on S-4’s hull, but poor weather thwarted all efforts to move the sub. Sixty hours into the operation, the trapped submariners tapped “Is there any hope?” Heartrendingly, the divers answered “no.”