In October, 1925 while conducting a training exercise off Hawaii, the R-8 collided with the minesweeper USS Widgeon (AM-22) while the sub was at periscope depth. The conning tower fairwater, periscopes and shears, and the bridge were heavily damaged. Fortunately, the hull remained watertight and the boat was able to return to Pearl Harbor without further incident. She is seen here moored at the finger piers at the Submarine Base. The angle of the damage indicates that Widgeon struck her from the port side. They got very lucky. Had the R-8 been just a few feet closer to the surface the damage would have been catastrophic.
Photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman
Another view of the collision damage, October 1925 at Pearl Harbor. The conning tower fairwater would require a complete rebuild with a replacement of both periscopes and the radio mast.
Photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman
A closeup of the photo above, showing a forlorn crew on the gun deck. An awning has been erected to stave off the oppressive Hawaiian sun.
Photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman
The USS Widgeon (AM-22), with which the R-8 collided on October 5, 1925. This photo was taken about the time of the collision probably prompting the picture taker to take this photo. The Widgeon was redesignated a submarine rescue ship, ASR-1, June 22, 1936.
Photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman
It is not known for sure when this picture was taken, but it is likely that it was taken around the same time as the others above, in October 1925 after the R-8's collision with Widgeon.
Photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman
R-8 was a hard luck boat. She was one of the R-class that was chosen by the Navy to be laid up in reserve in Philadelphia in order to keep the Navy within the limits of submarine tonnage imposed by the London Naval Treaty. She was decommissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on May 2, 1931 and placed in mothballs. On February 26, 1936 she accidentally sank at her mooring at the yard in shallow water. After salvage, she was found not worth reconditioning so it was decided to expend her as a target. This photo shows her shortly after the salvage crews returned her to the surface, May 1936.
Photo courtesy of the Temple University Digital Library.
This action photo shows R-8 being bombed by naval aircraft 71 nautical miles off Cape Henry, Virginia on August 18, 1936. Four near misses with 100 lb. bombs were enough to sink the tired old boat.
USN photo NH 85199 via NHHC.
In December, 2020, a team from Atlantic Wreck Salvage discovered the wreck of the R-8 using high resolution side-scan sonar. This view is a top down sonar view of the wreck with call-outs highlighting various features on the wreck.
Photo courtesy of Atlantic Wreck Salvage via The Maritime Executive (www.maritime-executive.com).
Another top down sonar view of the R-8 wreck. The black stripe in the middle is the blind zone for the side-scan sonar. The "tow-fish" vehicle can not see straight down underneath itself. This requires that several passed be made to get a complete picture. The curved row of dots near the bow is likely a towing chain used to tow the R-8 to the target area.
Photo courtesy of Atlantic Wreck Salvage via The Maritime Executive (www.maritime-executive.com).
A side view of the wreck obtained from the sonar images. There were plans made by Atlantic Wreck Salvage to actually send divers to the wreck in 2021, but it is not known if that actually happened.
Photo courtesy of Atlantic Wreck Salvage via The Maritime Executive (www.maritime-executive.com).
