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USS O-9 (SS-70)
On 19 June 1941, O-9 departed New London with other O-boats for tests off the Isles of Shoals. After the other 2 subs had successfully completed their tests 20 June, O-9 submerged at 0738 to conduct deep submergence tests; the sub did not surface thereafter but was crushed by the pressure of the water 402 feet below. The sub went down 15 miles off Portsmouth in the area where submarine SQUALUS (SS-192) had been lost.
Rescue ships swung into action immediately. Sister ships O-6, O-10, submarine TRITON (SS-201), submarine rescue vessel FALCON (ASR-2), and other ships searched for the sub, and divers went down from 1300, 21 June until 1143, 22 June. Divers went to record depths for salvage operations but could stay but a brief time at the 440' depth; salvage operations were cancelled as they were considered too risky.
The boat was declared a total loss as of 20 June at latitude 42-59-48 N, longitude 70-20-27 W. On 22 June, Secretary of the Navy Knox conducted memorial services for the 33 officers and men lost on the boat.
In
addition to the men listed above, one enlisted man, whose name we do not know
as yet was lost overboard from O-9 on 21 August 1921 in Cape Cod Bay.