Submarine USS R-12 (SS-89)

Submarine USS R-12 (SS-89) was authorized to be built by the United States Congressional Act of 29 August 1916 which stated in part: "....The President of the United States is hereby authorized to undertake prior to July first, nineteen hundred and nineteen, the construction of....

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"Nine fleet submarines." Fifty-eight coast submarines, of which number three to have a surface displacement of about eight hundred tons each, to cost, exclusive of armor and armament, not to exceed $1,200,000 each, and twenty-seven, which shall be the best and most desirable and useful type of submarine which can be procured at a cost, exclusive of armor and armament, not to exceed $700,000 each, shall be begun as as soon as practical; and the sum of $8,217,000 is hereby appropriated for the construction of said submarines, to be available until expended. Not less than twelve of the submarines herein authorized to be begun as soon as practical shall be built on the Pacific coast: PROVIDED, That the cost of construction on the Pacific coast does not exceed the cost of construction on the Atlantic coast, plus the cost of transportation from the Atlantic to the Pacific."

The keel of USS R-12 (Submarine Number 89) was laid down on 28 March 1918 by the Fore River Shipbuilding Company at Quincy, Massachusetts...under a subcontract from the Electric Boat Company of New York. The submarine was christened by Miss Helen Mack and launched on 15 August 1919. Commissioning took place at the Boston Navy Yard at Boston, Massachusetts, on 23 September 1919 with Lieutenant F. J. Cunneen in command.

When commissioned, the R-1 Class coastal and harbor defense submarine was 186'2" in length overall; had an extreme beam of 18'; had a normal surface displacement of 569 tons, and, when in that condition, had a mean draft of 14'6". Submerged displacement was 680 tons. The submarine was of riveted construction. The designed compliment was two officers and twenty-seven enlisted men. The boat could operate safely to depths of 200 feet. The submarine was armed with four 21-inch torpedo tubes installed in the bow. Eight torpedoes were carried. One 3-inch/50 caliber deck gun was installed. The full load of diesel oil carried was 18,880 gallons, which fueled 1,200 designed brake horsepower diesel engines manufactured by the New London Ship and Engine Company at Groton, Connecticut...which could drive the boat via a direct drive system at 13.5 knots on the surface.

Submerged propulsion was provided by a 120-cell main storage battery manufactured by the Electric Storage Battery Company (EXIDE) at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...which powered 934 designed brake horsepower main propulsion electric motors manufactured by the Electro Dynamic Company at Bayonne, New Jersey...which turned propeller shafts ...which turned propellers...which could drive the submarine at 10.5 knots for a short period of time when operating beneath the surface of the sea. Slower submerged speeds resulted in greater endurances before the batteries needed to be recharged by the engines and generators.

USS R-12 remained at the Boston Navy Yard until she headed south off the east coast of the United States, on 11 March 1920, to the United States Naval Submarine Base at New London/Groton, Connecticut; from whence the R-boat operated until the end of May of 1920. Then the submarine continued south to Panama; transited the Panama Canal at the end of June 1920; and arrived at San Pedro, California, during July of 1920.

During July of 1920, the designation of USS R-12 was changed from "Submarine Number 89" to "SS-89."

At the end of August 1920, USS R-12 (SS-89) took departure from California and set course for Pearl Harbor in the Hawaiian Islands...where she arrived on 6 September 1920.

The R-boat operated in Hawaiian waters, with occasional exercises off the west coast of the United States, and off Johnston Island, until 12 December 1930. On that date, USS R-12 got underway for the east coast of the United States...and arrived at the Connecticut submarine base on 9 February 1931.

USS R-12 conducted exercises with destroyer squadrons of the Scouting Force into the spring of 1931...then, following overhaul, served as a "school boat" for personnel training at the Submarine School at the submarine base at New London/Groton.

On 27 September 1932, USS R-12 departed the submarine base on the Thames River in Connecticut...and transited to the Philadelphia Navy Yard at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...where the submarine decommissioned on 7 December 1932, and joined other R-boats berthed there in the Reserve Fleet.

Some 7 1/2 years later (on 1 July 1940), USS R-12 recommissioned, in ordinary, and transited to the Connecticut submarine base to complete activation.

Recommissioning, in full, on 16 October 1940, the submarine commenced a transit to Panama on 10 December 1940...and arrived in the Panama Canal Zone thirteen days later.

For the first ten months of 1941, USS R-12 patrolled in the approaches to the Panama Canal.

On 31 October 1941, the R-boat returned to New London/Groton... and...for the next three months, operated off the New England coast.

On 7 December 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor...thereby making the United States an active participant in World War II.

During February of 1942, USS R-12 commenced patrols to the south...and, for the next year, operated primarily from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Key West, Florida.

During March and April of 1943, the R-boat was back at the submarine base at New London/Groton, Connecticut.

During May of 1943, USS R-12 returned to the United States Naval Station at Key West...where she trained submariners for the remainder of her career.

Shortly after noon on 12 June 1943, USS R-12, while underway on the surface while transiting from Key West to her operating area, came to her end.

While making preparations to dive for a torpedo practice approach, the forward battery compartment started to flood. The collision alarm was sounded and her commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander E. E. Shelby, who was on the bridge, immediately ordered all hatches shut...and to blow all main ballast tanks. But, those actions were too little and too late...as the boat went down in only fifteen seconds.

The six men on the bridge, including the commanding officer, were the only ones rescued...while forty-two others, including two Brazilian naval officers, who were on board to observe the torpedo firing exercise, were lost. Luckily, eighteen other crew-members had stayed in that day and were on liberty at the time the boat went down for the last time.

A board of Inquiry concluded that the cause of the R-12's loss was not clear...but was probably due to the flooding of the submarine through a forward torpedo tube...that is, because of an accidental opening of both the inner and outer doors of a torpedo tube at the same time. This could never be confirmed as the R-boat sank in six hundred feet of water...too deep for salvaging, or even investigation, in those days.

The R-12's commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander Edward E. Shelby, went on to skipper USS Sunfish (SS-281)...and sank over 45,000 tons of Japanese shipping in four highly successful war patrols.

The following personnel made the last dive aboard USS R-12:

A. G. D. Almeida, Lieutenant (Brazilian Navy)

General W. Bacon, Electrician's Mate Third Class

Robert B. Bronson, Fireman Second Class

James J. Buckley, Signalman First Class

F. E. Cashell, Ensign

Howard L. Clayton, Chief Signalman

J. L. DeMoura, Lieutenant (Brazilian Navy)

Raymond F. Flisher, Fireman First Class

Lenard F. Garbulsky, Seaman Second Class

Frederick P. Graziani, Junior, Gunner's Mate First Class

Joseph C. Hall Junior, Electrician's Mate Third Class

Elmer L. Harman, Junior, Chief Radioman

J. U. Horton, Lieutenant Junior Grade

Joseph S. Horvath, Torpedoman's Mate First Class

Howard H. Knapp, Seaman Second Class

Everett Krigbaum, Chief Motor Machinist's Mate

Leland V. Kymer, Motor Machinist's Mate Second Class

Charles B. LeVan, Seaman First Class

Henry P. Lobeck, Torpedoman's Mate Third Class

Curtis V. Mathis, Torpedoman's Mate Third Class

P. T. McKibben, Electrician's Mate First Class

Joseph Moncada, Machinist's Mate First Class

Albert J. Mullis, Fireman Second Class

George W. Ness, Seaman Second Class

Paul L. Noonan, Seaman Second Class

John H. Rabbitt, Electrician's Mate Third Class

Edward J. Rafferty, Machinist's Mate Second Class

Lyle E. Schnake, Fireman First Class

Craig R. Scott, Fireman Second Class

Howard R. Secor, Radioman Second Class

Harry H. Shellenberger, Fireman Third Class

Granby S. Smith, Seaman Second Class

R. N. Starks, Lieutenant (the Executive Officer)

Donald C. Sullivan, Radioman Third Class

Rudolph A. Thompson, Junior, Seaman Second Class

J. D. Unger, Lieutenant Junior Grade

Ernest W. Vincent, Motor Machinist's Mate Second Class

Norman W. Walker, Motor Machinist's Mate First Class

Edwin F. Walsh, Motor Machinist's Mate Second Class

Kenneth J. Wheeler, Ship's Cook Third Class

Willie D. Young, Steward's Mate Second Class

George A. Zimmerman, Fireman Third Class

--- 42 Navymen lost

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