| (insert image and caption here) | |
| Career | |
|---|---|
| Ordered: | |
| Laid down: | 15 February 1917 |
| Launched: | 27 January 1918 |
| Commissioned: | 27 July 1918 |
| Fate: | lost during testing |
| Struck: | 23 October 1941 |
| General Characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 520.6 tons surfaced, 629 tons submerged |
| Length: | 172 feet 4 inches |
| Beam: | 18 feet |
| Draft: | 14 feet 5 inches |
| Speed: | 14 knots surfaced, 10.5 knots submerged |
| Complement: | 29 officers and men |
| Armament: | one three-inch gun; four 18-inch torpedo tubes |
During the final months of World War I, O-9 operated on coastal patrol and protected the Atlantic coast from U-boats. She departed Newport, Rhode Island, on 2 November 1918 for European waters, but the termination of hostilities brought the 20-sub force back to the United States.
After the war, O-9 continued in Naval service and trained submarine crews at the sub school at New London, Connecticut. Proceeding to Coco Solo, Canal Zone, in 1924, the boat was reclassified to a second line sub during her year there. Returning to operate at New London, O-9 reverted to a first line sub on 6 June 1928. Sailing up to Portsmouth, New Hampshire in January 1930, the sub returned to New London in March; the following February, she sailed to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to decommission there 25 June 1931.
Remaining on the Naval Vessel Register, O-9 was recalled to training service as American involvement in World War II became more inevitable. She recommissioned at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on 14 April 1941 and went to New London on 31 May. O-9 was to see but brief pre-war duty, however.
On 19 June, O-9 departed New London, Connecticut, with other O-boats for tests off the Isles of Shoals. After the other two subs had successfully completed their tests 20 June, O-9 submerged at 0738 to conduct deep submergence tests. She did not surface. Crushed by the pressure of over 400 feet of water, she went down 15 miles off Portsmouth in the area where submarine Squalus (SS-192) had been lost.
Rescue ships swung into action immediately. Sister ships O-6 (SS-67), O-10 (SS-71), submarine Triton (SS-201), submarine rescue vessel Falcon (ASR-2), and other ships searched for the sub, and divers went down from 1300 on 21 June until 1143 on 22 June. Divers could stay only a short time at the 440-foot depth but nonetheless set endurance and depth records for salvage operations until those operations were cancelled as they were considered too risky. The boat was declared a total loss as of 20 June. On 22 June, Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox conducted memorial services for the 33 officers and men lost on the boat.
The boat was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 23 October 1941.
References
This article includes information collected from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.