USS R-19 (SS-96)

USS R-19 (SS-96) was an R-class coastal and harbor defense submarine of the United States Navy.

Construction and commissioning

R-19's keel was laid down by the Union Iron Works of San Francisco on 23 June 1917. She was launched on 28 January 1918 sponsored by Mrs. Robert L. Irvine, and commissioned on 7 October 1918 with Lieutenant Commander William F. Callaway in command.

United States Navy service

After commissioning, which was one month before the Armistice with Germany ending World War I took effect, R-19 remained on the West Coast of the United States for nine months at San Pedro, California until March 1919, and then at San Francisco, undergoing overhaul, until June 1919. On 17 June 1919 R-19 left the United States for the Territory of Hawaii. Eight days later she reached Pearl Harbor in Hawaii and began almost 12 years of training submarine crews and testing equipment.

During July 1920 the hull classification symbol of R-19 was changed from "Submarine Number 96" to "SS-96."