Submarine USS R-27 (SS-104)

Submarine USS R-27 (SS-104) 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 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-27 (Submarine Number 104) was laid down on 16 May 1917 by the Lake Torpedo Boat Company at Bridgeport, Connecticut. The submarine was christened by Mrs. Mary Louise Foster and launched on 23 September 1918. Commissioning took place on 3 September 1919 with Lieutenant William C. Burgy in command.

When commissioned, the R-21 Class coastal and harbor defense submarine was 175' in length overall; had an extreme beam of 16'8"; had a normal surface displacement of 510 tons, and, when in that condition, had a mean draft of 13'11". Submerged displacement was 583 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 17,922 gallons, which fueled 1,000 designed brake horsepower diesel engines manufactured by the Busch-Sulzer Brothers Diesel Engine Company at Saint Louis, Missouri...which could drive the boat, via a diesel direct drive propulsion system, at 14 knots on the surface in relatively calm seas. Power for submerged propulsion was provided by a 120-cell main storage battery manufactured by the Electric Storage Battery Company (EXIDE) at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...which powered 800 designed brake horsepower main propulsion electric motors manufactured by the Diehl Manufacturing Company at Bridgeport, New York...which turned propeller shafts...which turned propellers...which could drive the submarine at 11 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.

Assigned duty with Submarine Division One in the Panama Canal Zone, USS R-27 got underway on 1 November 1919 from the United States Naval Submarine Base at New London/Groton, Connecticut, for her homeport of Coco Solo. The R-boat arrived in the Panama Canal Zone on 11 December 1919 and commenced conducting operations out of Coco Solo...and out of Balboa...in the coastal waters of the Panama Canal Zone.

During July of 1920, the designation of USS R-27 was changed from "Submarine Number 104" to "SS-104."

USS R-27 (SS-104) interrupted her five years of service in the Panama Canal Zone with an overhaul at the Portsmouth Navy Yard at Kittery, Maine, during the winter of 1921-1922, and a run to Pearl Harbor in the Territory of Hawaii for exercises in early 1923.

On 1 November 1924, USS R-27 departed Coco Solo for the last time. On the 24th of November 1924, the submarine arrived at the Charleston Navy Yard at Charleston, South Carolina. From there, the R-boat was towed to the Philadelphia Navy Yard at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There, the submersible was decommissioned on 24 April 1925 and placed in the Reserve Fleet in the City of Brotherly Love.

On 9 May 1930, the submarine was struck from the Navy List.

Two months later, the hull was sold for scrapping.

Obviously, due to the short period of time USS R-27 was active, this submarine failed to meet the expectations of her designers, builders, and operators.

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