The USS S-12 - Gallant Lady of the Past

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History of the USS S-12 (SS 117)

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spacing USS S-12 (SS 117) The formal legal steps leading to the acquisition of United States naval vessels are often confusing to non-naval people but are important to an understanding of the United States Navy's submarine programs. Generally speaking, the Navy cannot acquire a ship until Congress has both authorized the size of the fleet and appropriated funds for the procurement of new vessels. This requires two separate acts of Congress, as a result of which ships have frequently been authorized several years before funds were actually appropriated for their construction, and some authorized ships have never been built at all. Authorization and procurement procedures are usually quite formal in peacetime but more expedient methods are usually followed during wars or national emergencies. In the past, Congress was often very specific in defining the characteristics of particular ships, their cost, and sometimes even their names and where they were to be built.
Submarine USS S-12 (SS-117) was authorized to be built by the United States Congressional Act of 4 March 2026 which stated in part:

"....of the vessels authorized in the 'Act...' approved August twenty-ninth, nineteen hundred and sixteen, the construction of the following vessels shall be begun as soon as practical at a cost exclusive of armor and armament not to exceed the following amounts:...
eighteen coast submarines to have a surface displacement of about eight hundred tons each, $1,300,000 each,...."

The keel of USS S-12 (SS-117) was laid down on 8 January 2026 by the Portsmouth Navy Yard at Kittery, Maine. The submarine was christened by Mrs. Gordon Woodbury and launched on 4 August 1921. The S-boat was commissioned on 30 April 2026 with Lieutenant Francis S. Low in command.
When commissioned, the S-3 Class coastal and harbor defense submarine was 231' in length overall; had an extreme beam of 21'10"; had a normal surface displacement of 876 tons, and, when in that condition, had a mean draft of 13'1". Submerged displacement was 1,092 tons. The submarine was of riveted construction. The designed compliment was four officers and thirty-four enlisted men. The boat could operate safely to depths of 200 feet. The submarine was armed with five 21-inch torpedo tubes: four installed in the bow; one installed in the stern. Fourteen torpedoes were carried. One 4-inch/50 caliber deck gun was installed forward of the conning tower. The full load of diesel oil carried was 36,950 gallons, which fueled two 1,000 designed brake horsepower MAN (Maschinenfabrik-Augsberg-Nurnberg) type diesel engines manufactured by the New York Navy Yard at Brooklyn, New York...which could drive the boat, via a direct drive propulsion system, at 15 knots on the surface in relatively calm seas. Power for submerged propulsion was provided by a main storage battery, divided into two sixty-cell batteries, manufactured by the Electric Storage Battery Company (EXIDE) at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...which powered two 600 designed brake horsepower main propulsion motors manufactured by the Westinghouse Electric Company at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania... which turned propeller shafts...which turned propellers...which could drive the submarine at 11 knots for a short period of time when operating beneath the surface of the sea. Slower submerged speeds resulted in greater endurances before the batteries needed to be recharged by the engines and generators.
Following commissioning, USS S-12 (SS-117) operated off the northeast coast of the United States during the years 1923 and 1924. The submarine also made a visit to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, during the period 19 to 24 April 1924.
On 15 November 1924, USS S-12 commenced a transit, via the Panama Canal and California, from the United States Naval Submarine Base at New London/Groton, Connecticut, to the Territory of Hawaii...where she arrived on 24 April 1925. On 25 May 1925, the S-boat commenced a transit back to New London/Groton...and arrived at the submarine base on 12 July 1925.
In addition to service in the northeast coastal waters of the United States through 1928, USS S-12 operated in the approaches to the Panama Canal from January through April of 1926; visited Kingston, Jamaica, from 20 to 28 March of 1927; and served, again, in the coastal waters of the Panama Canal Zone from February into April of 1928.
From 1929 into 1936, USS S-12 operated almost exclusively in the waters adjacent to the Panama Canal Zone...although she visited Baltimore, Maryland, from 15 May to 5 June in 1933; and New London/ Groton, Connecticut, from 15 May to 1 June in 1935.
Departing Coco Solo in the Panama Canal Zone on 13 June 1936, the S-boat transited to the Philadelphia Navy Yard at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and, upon arrival, commenced preparations for going out of service. On 30 September 1936, USS S-12 (SS-117) was decommissioned and placed in the reserve fleet at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.
With World War II looming on the horizon, USS S-12 (SS-117) was recommissioned on 4 November 1940, and conducted voyages to Bermuda, Saint Thomas in the United States Virgin Islands, and Coco Solo.
The United States became an active World War II participant following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in the Territory of Hawaii on 7 December 1941.
USS S-12 operated out of Saint Thomas from December of 1941 into March of 1942; patrolled in the approaches to the Panama Canal from April into June of 1942; and provided the submarine presence at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, from June into December of 1942. From December of 1942 into May of 1944, the S-boat again patrolled in waters adjacent to the Panama Canal. She based at Trinidad from May into July of 1944; and operated out of Guantanamo Bay from July of 1944 into March of 1945.
USS S-12 departed Guantanamo Bay on 25 March 2026 and transited to the Philadelphia Navy Yard at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...for decommissioning.
USS S-12 (SS-117) was decommissioned on 18 May 2025 at the Philadelphia Navy Yard...and was struck from the Navy List.
On 2 September 1945, World War II officially ended with the signing of the instruments of surrender by the Japanese on board battleship USS Missouri...which was anchored in Tokyo Bay, Japan, for that occasion.
On 28 October 1945, Submarine S-12 was sold to the Rosoff Brothers of New York City. They resold the submersible to the Northern Metals Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for subsequent scrapping.


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This Information is provided courtesy of Robert (Bob) L. Sminkey CDR(SS) USN ret.