Hull Number: SS-70
Last Captain: LT Howard Abbott
Date Lost: 20 June 1941
Location: Off the Isle of Shoals
Fatalities: 33
Cause: Foundered
Construction
O-9 was an O class submarine completed in July of 1918 by the Fore River Shipbuilding Company of Quincy., MA.
Loss Narrative
On the morning of 19 June 1941, O-9 along with USS O-6 (SS-67) and USS O-10 (SS-71) left New London for test depth diving. The next day, test dives were completed first by O-6 and then by O-10. O-9 began her dive at 08:37. When O-9 had not returned to the surface by 10:32, the search began immediately. Other submarines and the rescue vessel USS Falcon (ASR-2) joined the search. That evening, debris with markings from O-9 was recovered in water that was 440 feet deep.
Divers went down on 21 and 22 June, setting endurance and depth records. However, it was to no avail; there could not have been any survivors. Rescue operations were cancelled on 22 June since O-9 had a test depth of just 200 feet and was on the bottom well past crush depth. Memorial services were conducted that day.
Divers went down on 21 and 22 June, setting endurance and depth records. However, it was to no avail; there could not have been any survivors. Rescue operations were cancelled on 22 June since O-9 had a test depth of just 200 feet and was on the bottom well past crush depth. Memorial services were conducted that day.
Prior History
During the final months of WW1, O-9 completed coastal patrols in the Atlantic, searching for U-boats. She departed Newport, RI for Britain on 2 November 1918. However, the war ended before O-9 arrived. After WW1 she trained submarine crews at the Submarine School in New London. In 1924, she was assigned to Coco Solo in the Panama Canal Zone. While there, she was reclassified as a second line submarine.
O-9 returned to New London in January of 1930 and reverted to a first line boat. She was decommissioned in June of 1931 but remained on the Naval Vessel Register. On 14 April 1941, she was one of ten O-boats recommissioned to serve as training boats. However, O-9 required extensive work and continued to suffer mechanical problems, which may have contributed to her foundering.
Section 2, Submarines Lost During WW2
O-9 returned to New London in January of 1930 and reverted to a first line boat. She was decommissioned in June of 1931 but remained on the Naval Vessel Register. On 14 April 1941, she was one of ten O-boats recommissioned to serve as training boats. However, O-9 required extensive work and continued to suffer mechanical problems, which may have contributed to her foundering.
Section 2, Submarines Lost During WW2
Submarine Photo
