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USS S-29 file photo [32235]

S-29/P556

CountryUnited Kingdom
Ship ClassS-class Submarine
Hull NumberSS-134
BuilderBethlehem Fore River Shipyard
Laid Down17 Apr 1919
Launched9 Nov 1922
Commissioned22 May 1924
Decommissioned26 Jan 1946
Displacement868 tons standard; 1,079 tons submerged
Length219 feet
Beam21 feet
Draft16 feet
MachineryTwo New London Ship & Engine diesel engines, two Ridgeway Dynamo & Electric Co. electric motors, 120 battery cells, two propellers
Bunkerage41,192gal diesel fuel
Speed14 knots
Crew42
Armament1x4in/50cal deck gun, 4x21in torpedo tubes, 12 torpedoes
Submerged Speed11 knots
Decommissioned from US Navy5 Jun 1942

Contributor:

ww2dbaseCommissioned into service in May 1924, submarine USS S-29 served in US Territory of Hawaii, the west coast of the United States, and the Panama Canal Zone in the 1920s and the 1930s. She arrived at New London, Connecticut, United States in Aug 1939, and was based at Key West, Florida, United States between Dec 1940 and May 1941. After the United States became a belligerent in WW2 in Dec 1941, she was transferred to the Panama Canal Zone. Returning to New London, she was transferred to the United Kingdom in Jun 1942, upon which she served with the British Royal Navy under the name HMS P556. In Aug 1942, she arrived at Gibraltar for retrofitting. In Feb 1943, she was relocated to Plymouth in southwestern Britain for an anti-submarine training role. In Nov 1943, she was relocated to Portsmouth in southern Britain, again for an anti-submarine training role. In Jan 1944, she suffered a battery explosion. Already marred with a record of many mechanical breakdowns, it was decided that she would be decommissioned into the reserve in Apr 1944. In Jan 1945, HMS P556 was returned to the US Navy, though the submarine remained in Portsmouth. In Jan 1947, the United States sold the submarine to the British firm H. G. Pound for scrapping. By 1982, only the conning tower had been removed from the submarine. Scrapping efforts did not begin in earnest until 1986, in Spain, and the work was finally complete in 1987.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia

Last Major Revision: Feb 2023

Submarine S-29/P556 (SS-134) Interactive Map

Photographs

USS S-27, USS S-46, and USS S-29 at the Submarine Base, Groton, Connecticut, United States, 2 Jan 1924USS S-29 entering Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, circa 27 Apr to 30 May 1925
See all 6 photographs of Submarine S-29/P556 (SS-134)

S-29/P556 Operational Timeline

17 Apr 1919 The keel of S-29 was laid down at the Bethlehem shipyard at Quincy, Massachusetts, United States.
9 Nov 1922 S-29 was launched at the Bethlehem shipyard at Quincy, Massachusetts, United States, wife of US Navy officer Ronan C. Grady.
22 May 1924 USS S-29 was commissioned into service.
27 Apr 1925 USS S-29 arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii.
30 May 1925 USS S-29 departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii.
14 Feb 1931 USS S-29 departed Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, California, United States.
23 Feb 1931 USS S-29 arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii.
16 Jun 1939 USS S-29 departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii.
23 Aug 1939 USS S-29 arrived at New London, Connecticut, United States.
1 Apr 1942 USS S-29 arrived at New London, Connecticut, United States.
5 Jun 1942 USS S-29 was decommissioned from US Navy service and transferred to the British Royal Navy.
27 Jan 1944 HMS P556 suffered a battery explosion.
26 Jan 1946 HMS P556 was transferred to the US Navy, and the submarine was struck from the US Naval Register. She would remain in Portsmouth, England, United Kingdom.
24 Jan 1947 S-29 was sold to the firm H. G. Pound of Portsmouth, England, United Kingdom for scrapping.




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Submarine S-29/P556 (SS-134) Photo Gallery
USS S-27, USS S-46, and USS S-29 at the Submarine Base, Groton, Connecticut, United States, 2 Jan 1924USS S-29 entering Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, circa 27 Apr to 30 May 1925
See all 6 photographs of Submarine S-29/P556 (SS-134)


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