R-13
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USS R-13 (SS-90)
USS R-13 crew photo, Pearl Harbor. We know this photo was taken c1924 or a little later by the presence of some of the men wearing the "Qualified in Submarines" patch on their lower right sleeve. The Metal Officers Submarine Warfare pin and the Enlisted cloth patches were created and began being worn in 1924.
Note the one officer in the center of the photo dressed in dungarees but wearing his officers hat. Officers would do this when work was necessary to keep their dressier uniforms clean. He might be that day's Duty Officer.
The Captain is no-doubt the officer seated on the left wearing his qualification Dolphins and a service ribbon. The officer on the right does not appear to be submarine qualified at the time the photo was taken.
Some of the men are wearing their stripes on their right sleeve and some on the left sleeve. The right arm rates were deck related jobs. The left arm rates were engineering and electrical jobs. The Navy did away with this system after WW II and placed all the ratings on the left sleeve. The hashmark for time in service was worn on the left sleeve regardless. Until recently a hashmark signified 4 years of continuous service. Recent changes to the Navy Regulations changed that to 3 years service.
The lower right corner of the photo is missing. When newspapers cleaned out their archives would many times tear this corner off so they could keep count of dispersed assets and prevent a competitor from using their copy.
Photo from the private collection of Ric Hedman
A Nasty day to be topside watch aboard the USS R-13. This photo is taken sometime in the mid 1930's while the R-13 operated as a training submarine at New London Submarine Base in Groton, Conn. It is a nasty, rainy day and the morning topside watch has to perform "colors".
At 8 AM a signal is given at the base and all vessels raise the American flag. All personnel are to stop what they are doing and face the closest visible flag and salute as the flag is raised up the flagpole. In this case the flag is already attached to the flag staff and the man is waiting for the signal to place the staff into its holder.
The tent to the right is to keep rain out of the open hatch.
The sailor is wearing blues so that means the photo was taken between September 1 and May 31, otherwise he would be wearing summer Whites. He has a white garrison belt and the holster for a .45 caliber, 1911A pistol can be seen near his right arm. The belt holds closed his heavy wool Peacoat and he is wearing a white hat under the hood of his raincoat. He is also wearing galoshes over his shoes. All in all, a nasty wet day on the Thames River.
Photo In The Collection Of Ric Hedman.
Page created by:
Ric Hedman & David Johnston
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