# USS R-1

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**USS *R-1* (SS-78)**, also known as "Submarine No. 78", was the [lead ship](/source/Lead_ship) of the [*R-1*-class](/source/United_States_R-class_submarine) [coastal and harbor defense submarines](/source/Coastal_submarine) of the [United States Navy](/source/United_States_Navy) commissioned shortly after the end of [World War I](/source/World_War_I).

Due to space constraints, the boats built at the [Fore River Shipbuilding Company](/source/Fore_River_Shipbuilding_Company) yard, were [laid down](/source/Laid_down) much later than the boats built at the [Union Iron Works](/source/Union_Iron_Works) and the [Lake Torpedo Boat Company](/source/Lake_Torpedo_Boat_Company) yards. Because of this, none were commissioned before the end of WWI.

## Design

The R-boats built by the [Fore River Shipbuilding Company](/source/Fore_River_Shipbuilding_Company), *R-1* through [USS *R-14*](/source/USS_R-14_(SS-91)), and the [Union Iron Works](/source/Union_Iron_Works), [USS *R-15*](/source/USS_R-15_(SS-92)) through [USS *R-20*](/source/USS_R-20_(SS-97)), are sometimes considered a separate class, *R-1*-class, from those built by the [Lake Torpedo Boat Company](/source/Lake_Torpedo_Boat_Company), [USS *R-21*](/source/USS_R-21_(SS-98)) through [USS *R-27*](/source/USS_R-27_(SS-104)), *R-21*-class.[2]

The submarines had a length of 186 feet 3 inches (56.8 m) [overall](/source/Length_overall), a [beam](/source/Beam_(nautical)) of 18 ft (5.5 m), and a mean [draft](/source/Draft_(ship)) of 15 ft 6 in (4.7 m). They [displaced](/source/Displacement_(ship)) 574 long tons (583 t) on the surface and 685 long tons (696 t) submerged. The *R-1*-class submarines had a crew of 2 officers and 27 enlisted men. They had a diving depth of 200 ft (61.0 m).[2][3]

For surface running, the boats were powered by two 440-horsepower (328-kilowatt) [NELSECO](/source/New_London_Ship_and_Engine_Company) 6-EB-14 [diesel engines](/source/Diesel_engine), each driving one [propeller shaft](/source/Propeller_shaft). When submerged each [propeller](/source/Propeller) was driven by a 467-horsepower (348-kilowatt) [Electro-Dynamic Company](/source/Electro-Dynamic_Company) [electric motor](/source/Electric_motor). They could reach 12.5 knots (23.2 km/h; 14.4 mph) on the surface and 9.3 kn (17.2 km/h; 10.7 mph) underwater. On the surface, the *R-1*-class had a range of 4,700 nautical miles (8,700 km; 5,400 mi) at 6.2 kn (11.5 km/h; 7.1 mph), or 7,000 nmi (13,000 km; 8,100 mi) if fuel was loaded into their main ballast tanks.[3]

The boats were armed with four [21-inch (533-millimetre)](/source/American_21-inch_torpedo) [torpedo tubes](/source/Torpedo_tube) in the bow. They carried four reloads, for a total of eight [torpedoes](/source/Torpedo). The *R-1*-class submarines were also armed with a single [3 in (76 mm)/50 caliber](/source/3%22/50_caliber_gun) [deck gun](/source/Deck_gun).[2][3]

## Construction

*R-1'*s [keel](/source/Keel) was [laid down](/source/Laid_down) on 16 October 1917, by the Fore River Shipbuilding Company, in [Quincy](/source/Quincy,_Massachusetts), Massachusetts. She was [launched](/source/Ship_naming_and_launching) on 24 August 1918,[4] [sponsored](/source/Ship_sponsor) by Mrs. Margaret Dashiell,[5] and [commissioned](/source/Ship_commissioning) on 16 December 1918, at [Boston](/source/Boston), Massachusetts.[4]

## Service history

### 1918–1931

After her [shakedown](/source/Shakedown_cruise) in [New England](/source/New_England) waters, *R-1* was assigned to Submarine Division 9 of the [Atlantic Fleet](/source/Atlantic_Fleet_(United_States)), and based at [New London](/source/New_London,_Connecticut), Connecticut. She got underway on 4 December 1919, for [Norfolk](/source/Norfolk,_Virginia), Virginia, and winter exercises with her division in the [Gulf of Mexico](/source/Gulf_of_Mexico), and returned to New London, on 18 May 1920, for four months of summer operations with [USS *R-2*](/source/USS_R-2_(SS-79)) and [USS *R-3*](/source/USS_R-3_(SS-80)), before sailing on 13 September, for Norfolk and overhaul.[4]

When the US Navy adopted its [hull classification](/source/Hull_classification_symbol) system on 17 July 1920, she received the [hull number](/source/Hull_number) **SS-78**.[6]

*R-1* was ordered to the [Pacific Ocean](/source/Pacific_Ocean), on 11 April 1921. She transited the [Panama Canal](/source/Panama_Canal), in late May, and arrived on 30 June, at her new base, [San Pedro](/source/San_Pedro,_Los_Angeles), California. She took part in fleet exercises off [Central America](/source/Central_America), from 5 February through 6 April 1923, and returned to San Pedro, on 10 April. On 16 July, she was transferred, along with Division 9, to [Pearl Harbor](/source/Pearl_Harbor). For the next eight years she trained crews and developed submarine tactics out of Pearl Harbor.[4]

Departing [San Diego](/source/San_Diego), California, on 5 January 1931, *R-1* sailed for [Philadelphia](/source/Philadelphia), Pennsylvania, *via* the Panama Canal, and arrived on 9 February. She was [decommissioned](/source/Ship_decommissioning) there on 1 May.[4]

### 1940–1946

On 23 September 1940, *R-1* was recommissioned, [in ordinary](/source/In_ordinary), at [Groton](/source/Groton,_Connecticut), Connecticut. She was overhauled and commissioned in full, on 16 October. *R-1* got underway with Submarine Squadron 3, Division 42, on 10 December, for the [Panama Canal Zone](/source/Panama_Canal_Zone). She was stationed at [Coco Solo](/source/Coco_Solo), for a year, then she was reassigned to Division 31, in June 1941. *R-1* was ordered to New London, in October, for a [refit](/source/Refit), and transferred to Squadron 7.[4]

At New London, on [7 December 1941](/source/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor), *R-1* remained in the southern New England area for the first days of the United States participation in [World War II](/source/World_War_II). On 9 and 10 December, she patrolled the sealanes leading to New England, and on 11 December, arrived at [Bermuda](/source/Bermuda), whence, with other SubRon 7 boats, she joined the hunt for [U-boats](/source/U-boat) preying on maritime traffic along the [Atlantic Seaboard](/source/Atlantic_Seaboard). Although limited in cruising range, the R-boats operating out of [Ordnance Island](/source/Ordnance_Island), Bermuda, continued their patrols through the *[Kriegsmarine](/source/Kriegsmarine)* [submarine offensive](/source/Operation_Drumbeat) of early 1942.[4]

In February, the submarines established a patrol line between Bermuda and [Nantucket Island](/source/Nantucket_Island). On that patrol line, some 300 nautical miles (560 km; 350 mi) northeast of Bermuda, *R-1* sighted and fired four torpedoes at the surfaced U-boat,[4] , and was credited with sinking the German submarine, although *U-582* was in fact undamaged.[7]

*R-1* continued patrols out of Bermuda, until returning to New London, on 20 July, for upkeep and coastal patrols. At the end of September, she resumed operations out of Bermuda. Through November 1944, she rotated between Bermuda and New London, and at the latter, in December, underwent an extensive conversion to enable her to participate in the development of [anti-submarine warfare](/source/Anti-submarine_warfare) (ASW) equipment and tactics. Emerging from the yard on 26 February 1945, she steamed to [New York City](/source/New_York_City), on 28 February; then headed south to [Florida](/source/Florida), for three weeks of operations off [Port Everglades](/source/Port_Everglades), Florida. In April, she returned to New London, then on to [Casco Bay](/source/Casco_Bay), Maine, for further ASW tests. Returning to the [Thames River](/source/Thames_River_(Connecticut)) base, on 29 June, she headed south again on 7 July, and at mid-month, reported for duty with the [Fleet Sonar School](/source/Fleet_Sonar_School) at [Key West](/source/Key_West), Florida, where she served for the remainder of her career.[4]

## Fate

*R-1* decommissioned at Key West, on 20 September 1945, and was struck from the [Naval Vessel Register](/source/Naval_Vessel_Register) on 10 November. Still at Key West, awaiting disposal, on 21 February 1946, the overage submarine sank in 21 ft (6.4 m) of water. Raised three days later, she was sold for scrap on 13 March 1946, to Macey O. Smith, of [Miami](/source/Miami), Florida.[4]

## See also

- *[Bride 13](/source/Bride_13)* (1920)

## References

1. Navy List 1921, p. 770.

1. Friedman 1995, p. 308.

1. Gardiner & Gray 1985, p. 129.

1. DANFS & R-1.

1. Hall 1925, p. 183.

1. Mohl & R-1.

1. Blair 2000, p. 541.

## Bibliography

- ["Table 21 - Ships on Navy List June 30, 1919"](https://books.google.com/books?id=mZEqAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA762). *Congressional Serial Set*. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1921.
- Friedman, Norman (1995). *U.S. Submarines Through 1945: An Illustrated Design History*. [Annapolis](/source/Annapolis), Maryland: [Naval Institute Press](/source/Naval_Institute_Press). ISBN 1-55750-263-3.
- Mohl, Michael. ["R-1 (SS-78)"](https://www.navsource.net/archives/08/08078.htm). *Navsource.net*. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
- Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal (1985). *Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921*. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.
- Hall, Anne Martin (1925). [*Ships of the United States navy and their sponsors, 1913-1923*](https://archive.org/details/shipsofunitedsta0000unse/page/183). Retrieved 7 November 2025.
- ["R-1"](https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/r/r-1.html). Retrieved 7 November 2025.
- Blair, Clay (2000). *Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunters 1939–1942*. [London](/source/London): [Cassell & Co.](/source/Cassell_%26_Co.). ISBN 0-304-35260-8.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [USS R-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_R-1) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_R-1?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.