USS R - 5 ( SS - 82 ) USS " R - 5 " ( SS - 82 ) was an " R " - class coastal and harbor defense submarine of the United States Navy . Her keel was laid down on 16 October 1917 by the Fore River Shipbuilding Company , Quincy , Massachusetts . She was launched on 24 November 1918 sponsored by Miss Margaretta King , and commissioned on 15 April 1919 , Lieutenant Commander Eric L . Barr in command . Service history . 1919 – 1932 . After completion at the Boston Navy Yard , " R - 5 " got underway on 28 April 1919 for New London , Connecticut , where she was assigned to Submarine Division 9 of the Atlantic Fleet . She headed south on 4 December for Norfolk , Virginia , and winter exercises with her division in the Gulf of Mexico from 21 January to 14 April 1920 . " R - 5 " later returned to Newport , Rhode Island , on 18 May for four months of summer training in New England waters . Then given hull classification symbol SS - 82 ( effective 17 July ) she sailed 13 September for Norfolk and an overhaul that was completed in April 1921 . In company with , " R - 5 " was ordered to the Pacific Ocean on 11 April 1921 , transited the Panama Canal on 28 May , and arrived on 30 June at her new base , San Pedro , California . In January 1923 she was used in the filming of the Twentieth Century - Fox motion picture " The Eleventh Hour " , and engaged in war games with the battle fleet in the Gulf of Fonseca from 5 February to 6 April 1923 . She was transferred on 16 July along with Division 9 to Pearl Harbor where she was based for the next eight years engaged in training and operations with fleet units . " R - 5 " made an endurance run to Midway Island in July and August 1924 and in December , during division exercises off Pearl Harbor , rammed in the after battery room , causing extensive damage to both ships . " R - 5 " was transferred back to the Atlantic on 12 December 1930 with Divisions 9 and 14 transited the Panama Canal on 28 January 1931 and arrived at New London on 9 February . She was assigned to Division 4 on 1 April and acted as training ship for the Submarine School until sailing on 28 April 1932 for Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , where she decommissioned on 30 June 1932 . 1940 – 1946 . After recommissioning on 19 August 1940 , " R - 5 " reported to Division 42 at New London on 30 October . She sailed on 10 December for the submarine base at Coco Solo , Panama Canal Zone , where she was assigned patrol duty in the Bay of Panama until returning to New London on 31 October 1941 . She underwent overhaul and in December relieved on patrol along the Bermuda - New England shipping lanes . Through the U - boat offensives of 1942 she maintained those patrols , operating out of New London and Bermuda , and alternating them with anti - submarine training operations for destroyer s and destroyer escort s . Twice during the first part of the year she made contact with U - boat s and once , on 10 February , fired torpedo es , but none found its mark . From 1943 into 1945 , " R - 5 " continued to rotate between New London and Bermuda . After the end of World War II , she was ordered to Portsmouth , New Hampshire , for inactivation , Arriving on 6 September , she decommissioned on 14 September and was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 11 October 1945 . On 22 August 1946 , " R - 5 " was sold for scrap to John J . Duane of Quincy , Massachusetts .