O-5 during trials, 14 April 1918
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History | |
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Name: | USS O-5 |
Ordered: | 3 March 1916 |
Builder: | Fore River Shipbuilding Company, Quincy, Massachusetts |
Laid down: | 8 December 1916 |
Launched: | 11 November 1917 |
Commissioned: | 8 June 1918 |
Decommissioned: | 28 October 1923 |
Struck: | 28 April 1924 |
Fate: |
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General characteristics | |
Type: | O-class submarine |
Displacement: |
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Length: | 172 ft 3 in (52.5 m) |
Beam: | 18 ft 1 in (5.5 m) |
Draft: | 14 ft 5 in (4.4 m) |
Installed power: |
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Propulsion: |
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Speed: |
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Range: | 5,500 nmi (10,200 km; 6,300 mi) at 11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph) on the surface |
Test depth: | 200 feet (61.0 m) |
Complement: | 2 officers, 27 men |
Armament: |
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USS O-5 (SS-66) was one of 16 O-class submarines built for the United States Navy during World War I.
The O-class submarines were designed to meet a Navy requirement for coastal defense boats. The submarines had a length of 172 feet 3 inches (52.5 m) overall, a beam of 18 feet 1 inch (5.5 m) and a mean draft of 14 feet 5 inches (4.4 m). They displaced 521 long tons (529 t) on the surface and 629 long tons (639 t) submerged. The O-class submarines had a crew of 29 officers and enlisted men. They had a diving depth of 200 feet (61.0 m).
For surface running, the boats were powered by two 440-brake-horsepower (328 kW) diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 370-horsepower (276 kW) electric motor. They could reach 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) on the surface and 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph) underwater. On the surface, the O class had a range of 5,500 nautical miles (10,200 km; 6,300 mi) at 11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph).
The boats were armed with four 18-inch (45 cm) torpedo tubes in the bow. They carried four reloads, for a total of eight torpedoes. The O-class submarines were also armed with a single 3"/50 caliber deck gun.
O-5 was laid down on 8 December 1916 by the Fore River Shipbuilding Company of Quincy, Massachusetts. She was launched on 11 November 1917, and commissioned on 8 June 1918 with Lieutenant George A. Trever in command. During the final months of World War I, O-5 operated along the Atlantic coast and patrolled from Cape Cod to Key West, Florida. On October 6, 1918 O-5 was at the Brooklyn Navy Yard when Lieutenant (Junior Grade) W. J. Sharkey noticed that the submarine's batteries were giving off toxic gas. Sharkey informed his commanding officer and the two went forward in the submarine to investigate. The batteries then exploded and Sharkey was killed and he was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross.O-5 departed Newport, Rhode Island on 3 November 1918 with a 20-submarine contingent bound for European waters; however, hostilities had ceased before the vessels reached the Azores.