USS S-20 SS 125

The USS S-20 SS 125 was an S-class submarine that was originally launched on June 9th, 1920 from the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation out of Quincy, Massachusetts and was sponsored by a Miss Anne Claggett Zell. The newly constructed submarine was officially commissioned on November 22nd, 1922 under the command of Lieutenant Commander John A. Brownell. Following her initial shakedown training off the eastern seaboard of the United States, the S-20 remained carrying out operations off of New London, Connecticut from 1922 until 1929.

During this time she traveled to Coco Solo within the Panama Canal Zone and in March of 1923 and served out of Saint Thomas, U. S. Virgin Islands in February of 1924. She continued to operate throughout the Caribbean Sea until November of 1930. She departed the Caribbean on November 7th, 1930 and transited the Panama Canal in order to head out into the open Pacific Ocean and moved towards her intended final destination and new home port base of Pearl Harbor where she arrived on December 7th.

She remained there in service until February 20th, 1932 when she set sail heading back to the mainland where she operated out of Mare Island Naval Shipyard in California from March to April of 1933. She was stationed in San Diego Bay, California until 1934. Departing the west coast on March 15th bound for the east coast of the U. S. arriving at New London, Connecticut on October 28th. She operated there out of the eastern seaboard participating in experimental training exercises and testing solutions to fleet problems.

The S-20 also ran training exercises out of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba in February and March of 1938 as well as serving in and around the Panama Canal Zone and the general Caribbean Sea until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December of 1941 when the United States declared war. From December of 1941 until the Japanese formally surrendered on August 15th, 1945 the USS S-20 remained off the east coast of the U. S. operating out of New England and Casco Bay, Maine. She was officially decommissioned on July 16th, 1945 while at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The USS S-20 SS 125 was struck from the Naval Vessel Registry on July 25th and was then sold to the North American Smelting Company for scrapping.

Throughout her history, the USS S-20 SS 125 provided valuable support and training for the Navy. Her crews served her well without being aware that they were facing danger from an invisible enemy. The S-20 was constructed with asbestos used as a common insulator of duct systems and pipes within the submarine. Now we know that crewmen who worked in close proximity with asbestos are at risk for a variety of respiratory problems including mesothelioma, a deadly type of cancer. Any veterans of the USS S-20 SS 125 who may be concerned that they’ve been exposed to asbestos should closely monitor their respiratory health and consult a medical physician immediately to evaluate the possibility of beginning mesothelioma treatment.

Last modified: December 09 2009.