- USS R-3 (SS-80)
USS "R-3" (SS-80) was an "R"-class coastal and harbor defense submarine of the
United States Navy . Her keel was laid down on11 December 1917 by theFore River Shipbuilding Company inQuincy, Massachusetts . She was launched on18 January 1919 sponsored by Mrs. Charles G. McCord, and commissioned on17 April 1919 atBoston, Massachusetts , with Lieutenant Commander Allen Herschel Guthrie in command.After shakedown off the Massachusetts coast, "R-3" was assigned to Submarine Division 9 at
New London, Connecticut . She departed New London with
"Camden" (AS-6)on4 December 1919 for Norfolk and a winter deployment with the division in theGulf of Mexico from13 January to27 March 1920 . "R-3" returned to New London18 May for four months of summer exercises with
"R-1" (SS-78)and
"R-2" (SS-79).Givenhull classification symbol SS-80 in July, she sailed13 September for Norfolk and overhaul."R-3" was transferred to the Pacific with Division 9 on
8 April , transited thePanama Canal on28 May , and arrived30 June at her new base,San Pedro, California . After operating for two years inCalifornia waters, she was transferred16 July 1923 toPearl Harbor where she was stationed for the next years, engaging in training and operations with fleet units."R-3" was reassigned
12 December 1930 to the Atlantic Fleet for duty with Division 4, arriving9 February 1931 at New London. After acting as a training ship at the Submarine School, New London for five months, she was ordered6 May toWashington, DC , for air purification tests by theNaval Research Laboratory . In1932 , "R-3" conducted sound and radio experiments for the laboratory and trained personnel from theDeep Sea Diving School offPiney Point, Maryland ."R-3" was placed in reduced commission
26 April 1933 and after testing low-pressure valves for the Naval Research Laboratory, departed forAnnapolis, Maryland , on2 June 1933 where she served as a training ship for future generations of submariners. She sailed22 February 1934 for Guantanamo Bay and sound operations with "Eagle 58", followed by training duty atWashington, DC , with the Deep Sea Diving School. "R-3" was decommissioned10 August 1934 atPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania ."R-3" recommissioned
19 August 1940 at New London, was attached to Division 42, and after a brief period at New London,23 October to10 December , headed forCoco Solo . Patrols and training duties followed and in mid-1941 she returned to New London to prepare for transfer to theRoyal Navy . Decommissioned and transferred4 November 1941 , "R-3" was struck from theNaval Vessel Register on7 November 1941 . She continued her career in British home waters as HMS "P.511", a training submarine, until returned to the U.S. Navy in the United Kingdom,20 December 1944 . Unfit for service after the war, she was scrapped atTroon, Scotland , in1948 .References
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