R-11 SS-88

R-11

(Submarine No. 88: dp. 569 (surf.), 680 (subm.), 1. 186'2"
b. 18'; dr. 14'6", s. 13.5 k. (surf.), 10.5 k. (subm.); cpl. 30,
a. 1 3", 421"tt.;cl R-1)

R-l l (Submarine No. 88) was laid down by the Fore River Shipbuilding Co., Quincy, Mass., 18 March 1918, launched 21 July 1919, sponsored by Miss Dorothy Batehelder, and commissioned 5 September 1919, Lt. Comdr. Charles S. Alden in command.

R-l l, with a crew of only two men for 2 months following commissioning, remained inactive at Boston. Then, with the new year, 1920, she oommeneed training cruises along the New England coast and, in April, to Bermuda. On completion of training cruises, she returned to New London, whence she sailed 31 May for the Pacific. Designated SS-88 in July, she arrived at Pearl Harbor on 4 August. Homeported there for the next 10 years, she conducted operations in the Hawaiian area; searched for missing ships, including the seagoing tug C~estoga, and planes; participated in tactical exercises; and engaged in fleet maneuvers.

On 12 December 1930, the it-boat departed Pearl Harbor for the last time and steamed east to San Diego, whence she continued on through the Panama Canal, to New London. She returned to that Thames River base 9 February 1931 and for the remainder of the decade seryed as a training ship, primarily for the Submarine School at New London and occasionally for NROTC units in the southern New England area. Transferred to Key West, 1 June 1941, R-ll continued her training ship duties throughout the remainder of her career.

Decommissioned 5 September 1945, R-l l was struck from the Navy list 11 October 1945, sold to Macey O. Smith

Miami, Fla., 13 March 1946; and scrapped in 1948.