[3][4] The ships, to be built by the Submarine Boat Corporation of Newark, New Jersey, were the first to be constructed under a standardized production system worked out by Ferris and approved by the USSB.

[5] The first contract envisioned construction of fifty vessels and was placed by USSB with Submarine Boat Corp. on 14 September 1917 and included EFC hulls 547-596.

In addition on 8 November 1917 USSB also placed a small order for four vessels with Bayles Shipyard in Port Jefferson, New York (EFC hulls 773-776).

[8] Four Design 1023 hulls, EFC 773-776, were under construction by New York Harbor Drydock Company, formerly Bayles Shipyards, when they were cancelled and sold on the ways.

The hull was salvaged by the Japanese and operated as Tatsutama Maru which survived the war but was found to be unfit for service in 1945.