USS R-17

USS R-17 (SS-94), also known as "Submarine No. 94", was an R-1-class coastal and harbor defense submarines of the United States Navy commissioned before the end of World War I.

Design

The submarines had a length of Template:Convert overall, a beam of Template:Cvt, and a mean draft of Template:Cvt. They displaced Template:Convert on the surface and Template:Cvt submerged. The R-1-class submarines had a crew of 2 officers and 27 enlisted men. They had a diving depth of Template:Cvt.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

For surface running, the boats were powered by two Template:Convert NELSECO 6-EB-14 diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a Template:Convert Electro-Dynamic Company electric motor. They could reach Template:Convert on the surface and Template:Cvt underwater. On the surface, the R-1-class had a range of Template:Convert at Template:Cvt, or Template:Cvt if fuel was loaded into their main ballast tanks.Template:Sfn

The boats were armed with four [[American 21-inch torpedo|Template:Convert]] torpedo tubes in the bow. They carried four reloads, for a total of eight torpedoes. The R-1-class submarines were also armed with a single [[3"/50 caliber gun|Template:Cvt/50 caliber]] deck gun.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

Construction

R-17Template:'s keel was laid down by the Union Iron Works, in San Francisco, California, on 5 May 1917. She was launched on 24 December 1917,Template:Sfn sponsored by Miss Bertha Frances Dew,Template:Sfn and commissioned on 17 August 1918.Template:Sfn

Service history

1918–1931

Commissioned toward the end of World War I, R-17 operated briefly off the California coast, then patrolled off the Panama Canal Zone, returning to California, in December 1918. In March 1919, she arrived at San Francisco, for overhaul, after which she moved west to Pearl Harbor. Departing the West Coast, on 17 June, she arrived in the Territory of Hawaii, on 25 June, and for the next 11 years operated with fleet units and tested equipment being developed for submarines.Template:Sfn

When the US Navy adopted its hull classification system on 17 July 1920, she received the hull number SS-94.Template:Sfn

R-17 departed Pearl Harbor, on 12 December 1930, called at San Diego, thence continued on to the East Coast for inactivation. Arriving at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, on 9 February 1931, she was decommissioned 15 May, and berthed at League Island, until after the outbreak of World War II in Europe.Template:Sfn

1941–1946

Recommissioned at New London, 25 March 1941, R-17 headed south, on 14 May, and patrolled in the Virgin Islands, during June. She then patrolled off the Panama Canal Zone, in July, August, and September; then in October, returned to New London. For the next four months she conducted training exercises.Template:Sfn

On 9 March 1942, she was decommissioned and transferred to the United Kingdom under the Lend-Lease Agreement. Commissioned in the Royal Navy as HMS P.512, she was employed at Bermuda, as a training ship for the Royal Canadian Navy, until 6 September 1944, when she was returned to the US Navy, at Philadelphia.Template:Sfn

Fate

Retained for use as a target ship, until after the end of the war in Europe, R-17 was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 22 June 1945. She was sold, on 16 November 1945, to the North American Smelting Company, in Philadelphia, for scrapping.Template:Sfn

Bibliography

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External links

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