Her keel was laid down on 24 March 1915 by Lake Torpedo Boat Company in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

N-4 was launched on 27 November 1916 sponsored by Miss Dorothy H. Elliott, and commissioned at New York Navy Yard on 15 June 1918.

The signing of the Armistice with Germany found this submarine tied up at New London, where, but for a training cruise to Salem, Massachusetts, and Portland, Maine, from 14 July to 30 September 1919, she remained until 1920.

During the first half of 1920, N-4 made short voyages to New York and Newport before she was placed in reserve at New London on 7 June.

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.