Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Submarine R-12 Memorial Dedication

All Hands are invited to join the Ocean State Chapter of the Submarine Veterans of World War II and the U.S Submarine Veterans, Inc. Rhode Island Base at a dedication ceremony for a memorial to the submarine USS R-12 (SS 89), lost on 12 June, 1943.

The ceremony will be conducted at 1PM on Saturday, 6 October, rain or shine. A "Tolling the Boats” ceremony will also be conducted, remembering all 52 submarines lost during WW II. The ceremony will be conducted at the WW II Submarine Memorial, located at the Rhode Island Veterans Memorial Cemetery on Route 2 in Exeter, R.I.

Invited guests and speakers include The Honorable Governor Donald L. Carcieri and the Commanding Officer of the USS Providence (SSN 719).

Chaplain from Naval Base Newport Manuel Biadog and the Silver Dolphins Color Guard from Submarine Base Groton will be providing their services for the memorial dedication.

(Photo: National Archives)

USS R-12 (SS 89) June 12, 1943 - 42 Men Lost

On June 12, 1943 between 12:20 and 12:25pm the R-12 was underway to conduct a torpedo practice approach. As she completed preparations to dive and was riding on vents, the forward battery compartment began to flood. The collision alarm was sounded. The Commanding Officer from the bridge gave orders to blow main ballast and close the hatches. The R-12 sank in an estimated 15 seconds from the sounding of the collision alarm. The Commanding Officer, two ships officers and three enlisted men were on the bridge at the time and were the only survivors. Those lost include four U.S. Naval officers, and thirty-six U.S. Naval enlisted men, and two Brazilian observers.

It was the opinion of the Court of Inquiry that the cause of the loss of R-12 was unknown, but probably was caused by the rapid flooding of the forward part of the ship through a torpedo tube.

The R-12 rests in six hundred feet of water near the Key West, FL submarine operating area.




(Photo: National Archives)

Sailors Lost On USS R-12 (SS 89) 6-12-1943

Almeida, A. G. D. LT (Brazilian Navy)
Bacon, G. W. EM3
Bronson, R. B. F2
Buckley, J. J. SM1
Cashell, F. E. ENS
Clayton, H. L. CSMA
DeMoura, J. L. LT (Brazilian Navy)
Flisher, R. F. F1
Garbulsky, L. E. S2
Graziani, F. P., Jr. GM1
Hall, J. C., Jr. EM3
Harman, E. L., Jr. CRMA
Horton, J. U. LTJG
Horvath, J. S. TM1
Knapp, H. H. S2
Krigbaum, E. CMOMMA
Kymer, L. V. MOMM2
LeVan, C. B. S1
Lobeck, H. P. TM3
Mathis, C. V. TM3
McKibben, P. R. EM1
Moncada, J. MM1
Mullis, A. J. F2
Ness, G. W. S2
Noonan, P. L. S2
Rabbit, J. H. RM3
Rafferty, E. J. MM2
Schnake, L. E. F1
Scott, C. "R" F2
Secor, H. R. RM2
Shellenberger, H. H. F3
Smith, C. S. S2
Starks, R. N. LT
Sullivan, D. C. RM3
Thompson, R. A., Jr. S2
Unger, J. D. LTJG
Vincent, E. W. MOMM2
Walker, N. W. MOMM1
Walsh, E. F. MOMM2
Wheeler, K. J. SC3
Young, W. D. STM2
Zimmerman, G. A. F3
Of the 52 Submarines lost in WWII the R-12 (SS 89) is designated as the lost boat for the State of Rhode Island.