Name USS R-12 (SS-89) Laid down 28 March 1918 Decommissioned 7 December 1932 Construction started 28 March 1918 Length 57 m | Ordered 29 August 1916 Commissioned 23 September 1919 Recommissioned 16 October 1940 Launched 15 August 1919 Builder Fore River Shipyard | |
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USS R-12 (SS-89) was an R-class coastal and harbor defense submarine of the United States Navy.
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Construction
Her keel was laid down by the Fore River Shipbuilding Company of Quincy, Massachusetts on 28 March 1918. She was launched on 15 August 1919 sponsored by Miss Helen Mack, and commissioned at Boston, Massachusetts on 23 September 1919 with Lieutenant F. J. Cunneen in command.
History
R-12 remained at Boston, Massachusetts until she headed down the coast on 11 March to New London, Connecticut, whence she operated until the end of May. She then continued south to Panama; transited the Panama Canal at the end of June; arrived at San Pedro, California, in July; and with the hull classification symbol "SS-89", departed the California coast for Pearl Harbor at the end of August. Arriving on 6 September 1920, she remained in Hawaiian waters, with occasional exercises on the West Coast and off Johnston Island until 12 December 1930. On that date, R-12 got underway for the East Coast and returned to New London, Connecticut on 9 February 1931. She conducted exercises with Destroyer Squadrons of the Scouting Force into the spring, then following overhaul trained personnel assigned to the Submarine School. On 27 September 1932, she departed New London for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where, after decommissioning on 7 December, she joined other R-boats berthed there in the Reserve Fleet.
Some seven and a half years later, on 1 July 1940, R-12 recommissioned in ordinary and shifted to New London to complete activation. Recommissioned in full on 16 October, she sailed for Panama on 10 December, arrived on 23 December, and into October 1941, patrolled the approaches to the Panama Canal. On 31 October, she returned to New London and for the next three months operated off the New England coast. In February 1942, she commenced patrols to the south and for the next year operated primarily from Guantanamo Bay and Key West, Florida. In March and April 1943, she was back at New London, then in May she returned to Key West, Florida, where she trained submariners for the remainder of her career.
Accident and loss
Shortly after noon on 12 June 1943, R-12, while underway to conduct a torpedo practice approach, sounded her last diving alarm. As she completed preparations to dive, the forward battery compartment began to flood. The collision alarm was sounded and a report was made that the forward battery compartment was flooding. Orders were given to blow main ballast, but the sea was faster. In about 15 seconds, R-12 was lost. The commanding officer, one other officer, and three enlisted men were swept from the bridge as the boat sank and were rescued. Forty-two lives were lost. R-12 was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 6 July.
Discovery
Sometime before 25 May 2011, an exploration team led by Tim Taylor aboard the expedition vessel "RV Tiburon" located and documented the wreck of the World War II submarine USS R-12. The reason for her loss remains unknown. In making the discovery, the team deployed a state of the art autonomous underwater robot which collected first ever imagery of the remains of R-12. They are collaborating and sharing their findings with the US Navy. RV Tiburon intends to launch a future expedition to further investigate the possible causes of the sinking, and collect detailed archeological baseline data.