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USS Bonita SS-165

The USS Bonita SS-165 was the third ship to be named after the fish. The first was a submarine in use during World War I. The second was a motorboat used in 1917 and 1918. SS-165 was a Barracuda class submarine initially named V-3. She was built by the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. She was launched on June 9, 1925.

Her engines were a combination of diesel and electric and could reach surface speeds of up to 21 knots. When she was submerged, she could travel at about nine knots. She was over 341 foot long and 27 foot wide at the beam. Her crew consisted of seven officer, eleven petty officers and about 69 enlisted men. She boasted six torpedo tubes, four in the front and two in the rear. If she were forced to fight on the surface, she had one five inch 51 caliber deck gun.

As the V-3, she was assigned to serve with Submarine Division 20. She spent the first year or so of her service cruising up and down the eastern American coast and into Caribbean waters. In December of 1927, she was transferred to the west coast and arrived in San Diego on the seventeenth of that month. She continued to cruise along the Pacific coast and out to Hawaii. On March 9, 1931, she was renamed the Bonita and given the hull designation of SS-165.

In September of 1933, she joined Submarine Division 12 and, for the next three years, continued on cruises along the west coast and through both Hawaiian and Caribbean waters. She was finally placed on reserve in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on June 4, 1937.

With the start of World War II, she was pulled out of the reserve fleet and returned to active duty. In September of 1940, she was recommissioned and stationed in Panama. Until October of 1942, she protected the western coast of Central America. She returned for an overhaul toward the end of 1942. Once the work was complete, she was assigned duty as a special cargo carrying submarine. When it was discovered that the idea didn't work too well, she was assigned to training duty out of New London Connecticut. In 1945, with newer, faster and better submarines being produced, she was sold for scrapping. She was sold on October 8, 1945.

While the Bonita never saw enemy action, the sailors that worked aboard her were still at risk. Asbestos had been used extensively throughout the sub. The dust from asbestos is very dangerous for people and, with the poor ventilation present on submarines, the people working and living on board were heavily exposed. The two primary asbestos-related diseases are called asbestosis and mesothelioma. If you have questions about either of these diseases, or asbestos in general, please contact us.

Submarines Index

USS Albacore SS 218 USS Amberjack SS 219 USS Angler SS 240 USS Apogon SS 308 USS Archer-Fish SS 311 USS Argonaut-SM-1 USS Argonaut SS 475 USS Aspro SS 309 USS Atule SS 403 USS Balao SS 285 USS Bang SS 385 USS Barbel SS 316 USS Barbero SS 317 USS Barb SS 220 USS Barracuda SS 163 USS Bashaw SS 241 USS Bergall SS 320 USS Besugo SS 321 USS Billfish SS 286 USS Blackfin SS 322 USS Blackfish SS 221 USS Blenny SS 324 USS Blower SS 325 USS Blueback SS 326 USS Bluefish SS 222 USS Bluegill SS 242 USS Boarfish SS 327 USS Bonefish SS 223 USS Bonita SS 165 USS Bowfin SS 287 USS Bream SS 243 USS Brill SS 330 USS Bugara SS 331 USS Bullhead SS 332 USS Bumper SS 333 USS Burrfish SS 312 USS Cabezon SS 334 USS Carbonero SS 337 USS Hake SS 256 USS Hammerhead SS 364 USS Harder SS 257 USS Hardhead SS 365 USS Hawkbill SS 366

USS Herring SS 233 USS Hoe SS 258 USS Icefish SS 367 USS Jack SS 259 USS Jallao SS 368 USS Kete S 369 USS Kingfish SS 234 USS Kraken SS 370 USS Lagarto SS 371 USS Lizardfish SS 373 USS Loggerhead SS 374 USS Macabi SS 375 USS Mackerel 204 USS Manta SS 299 USS Mapiro SS 376 USS Marlin SS 205 USS Mingo SS 261 USS Moray SS 300 USS Muskallunge SS 262 USS Narwhal SS 263 USS Nautilus SS 168 USS Paddle SS 167 USS Pampanito SS 383 USS Parche SS 384 USS Pargo SS 264 USS Perch SS 176 USS Permit SS 178 USS Peto SS 265 USS Pickerel SS 177 USS Picuda SS 382 USS Pike SS 173 USS Pilotfish SS 386 USS Pintado SS 387 USS Pipefish SS 388 USS Piranha SS 389 USS Plaice SS 390 USS Plunger SS 179 USS Pogy SS 266 USS Pollack SS 180 USS Pomfret SS 391 USS Pompano SS 181 USS Pompon SS 267 USS Porpoise SS 172

USS Puffer SS 268 USS Queenfish SS 393 USS Quillback SS 424 USS Rasher SS 269 USS Raton SS 270 USS Ray SS 271 USS Razorback SS 394 USS Redfin SS 272 USS Redfish SS 395 USS Robalo SS 273 USS Rock SS 274 USS Ronquil SS 396 USS Runner SS 275 USS Runner SS 476 USS S-1 SS 105 USS S-20 SS 125 USS S-46 SS 157 USS Sailfish SS 192 USS Salmon SS 182 USS Sand Lance SS 381 USS Sargo SS 188 USS Saury SS 189 USS Sawfish SS 276 USS Scabbardfish SS 397 USS Scamp SS 277 USS Scorpion SS 278 USS Sculpin SS 191 USS Sea Cat SS 399 USS Sea Devil SS 400 USS Sea Dog SS 401 USS Seadragon SS 194 USS Sea Fox SS 402 USS Seahorse SS 304 USS Sealion SS 195 USS Seal SS 183 USS Sea Owl SS 405 USS Sea Poacher SS 406 USS Searaven SS 196 USS Sea Robin SS 407 USS Seawolf SS 197 USS Segundo SS 398 USS Sennet SS 408

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