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USS Bonita (SS-165)
Encyclopedia
USS Bonita (SF-6/SS-165), a Barracuda-class submarine and one of the "V-boat
s," was the third ship of the United States Navy
to be named for the bonito
.
Her keel was laid down by the Portsmouth Navy Yard. She was launched
on 9 June 1925 as V-3 sponsored by Mrs. L.R. DeSteiguer, wife of Rear Admiral DeSteiguer and commissioned
on 22 May 1926, Lieutenant Commander
Charles A. Lockwood, Jr. in command.
until November 1927. With her division, she then transferred to the Pacific arriving at San Diego, California
, on 17 December 1927. After service with SubDivs 12 and 20 along the Pacific coast and off Hawaii
, she joined SubDiv 15 of the Rotating Reserve at Mare Island Navy Yard on 1 June 1932. She was renamed Bonita on 9 March 1931 and given hull classification symbol
SS-165 on 1 July 1931.
Bonita rejoined SubDiv 12 in September 1933 and cruised in Caribbean Sea
, West Coast, and Hawaii
an waters through 1936. She departed San Diego, California
on 20 January 1937 and arrived at Philadelphia Navy Yard on 18 February. She was placed out of commission in reserve at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
on 4 June 1937.
on 17 November for Coco Solo, Panama. Bonita patrolled in the Pacific, off Panama
, until she returned to Philadelphia for overhaul in October 1942. Patrolling off the Maine
coast until mid-1943, she then joined Submarine Squadron 1 (SubRon 1), SubDiv 13, on training duty out of New London. She remained on that duty until February 1945. Arriving at Philadelphia Navy Yard on 17 February, she was decommissioned 3 March and sold 28 October 1945.
V-boat
The V-boats were a group of nine United States Navy submarines built between World War I and World War II from 1919-1934. These were not a ship class in the usual sense of a series of nearly identical ships built from the same design, but shared authorization under the "fleet boat" program...
s," was the third ship of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
to be named for the bonito
Bonito
Bonito is a name given to various species of medium-sized, predatory fish in the Scombridae family. First, bonito most commonly refers to species in the genus Sarda, including the Atlantic bonito and the Pacific bonito ; second, in Japanese cuisine, bonito refers to the skipjack tuna , which, in...
.
Her keel was laid down by the Portsmouth Navy Yard. She was launched
Ship naming and launching
The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old.-Methods of launch:There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching." The oldest, most familiar, and most widely...
on 9 June 1925 as V-3 sponsored by Mrs. L.R. DeSteiguer, wife of Rear Admiral DeSteiguer and commissioned
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
on 22 May 1926, Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
Charles A. Lockwood, Jr. in command.
Inter-War Period
Assigned to Submarine Division 20 (SubDiv 20), V-3 cruised along the East Coast and in the Caribbean SeaCaribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
until November 1927. With her division, she then transferred to the Pacific arriving at San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, on 17 December 1927. After service with SubDivs 12 and 20 along the Pacific coast and off Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, she joined SubDiv 15 of the Rotating Reserve at Mare Island Navy Yard on 1 June 1932. She was renamed Bonita on 9 March 1931 and given hull classification symbol
Hull classification symbol
The United States Navy, United States Coast Guard, and United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration use hull classification symbols to identify their ship types and each individual ship within each type...
SS-165 on 1 July 1931.
Bonita rejoined SubDiv 12 in September 1933 and cruised in Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
, West Coast, and Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
an waters through 1936. She departed San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
on 20 January 1937 and arrived at Philadelphia Navy Yard on 18 February. She was placed out of commission in reserve at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
on 4 June 1937.
World War II
Recommissioned on 5 September 1940, she departed New London, ConnecticutNew London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
on 17 November for Coco Solo, Panama. Bonita patrolled in the Pacific, off Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, until she returned to Philadelphia for overhaul in October 1942. Patrolling off the Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
coast until mid-1943, she then joined Submarine Squadron 1 (SubRon 1), SubDiv 13, on training duty out of New London. She remained on that duty until February 1945. Arriving at Philadelphia Navy Yard on 17 February, she was decommissioned 3 March and sold 28 October 1945.