The submarines had a length of 186feet 3inches (56.8m)overall, a beam of 18ft (5.5m), and a mean draft of 15ft 6in (4.7m). They displaced574 long tons (583t) on the surface and 685 long tons (696t) submerged. The R-1-class submarines had a crew of 2 officers and 27 enlisted men. They had a diving depth of 200ft (61.0m).[2][4]
For surface running, the boats were powered by two 440-brake-horsepower (328kW)NELSECO 6-EB-14 diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 467-horsepower (348kW)Electro-Dynamic Companyelectric motor. They could reach 12.5 knots (23.2km/h; 14.4mph) on the surface and 9.3kn (17.2km/h; 10.7mph) underwater. On the surface, the R-1-class had a range of 4,700 nautical miles (8,700km; 5,400mi) at 6.2kn (11.5km/h; 7.1mph), or 7,000nmi (13,000km; 8,100mi) if fuel was loaded into their main ballast tanks.[4]
After outfitting at Boston Navy Yard, R-4 joined Submarine Division9, of the Atlantic Fleet, at New London, Connecticut, on 12 August 1919. She sailed on 4 December 1919, for Norfolk, Virginia, and winter operations in the Gulf of Mexico, from 21 January to 14 April 1920. R-4 later returned to New England on 18 May for four months of maneuvers with her division.[5]
When the US Navy adopted its hull classification system on 17 July 1920, she received the hull numberSS-81.[3] She arrived at Norfolk on 15 September, for an overhaul lasting until April 1921.[5]
R-4 deployed to the Pacific Ocean, on 11 April 1921, transited the Panama Canal, on 28 May, and arrived at her new base, San Pedro, California, on 30 June. She participated in war games with the battle fleet in the Gulf of Fonseca, from 5 February to 6 April 1923, returning to San Pedro, with the submarine tenderCamden on 10 April. R-4 was transferred on 16 July, with Division9, and the submarine tender Canopus, to Pearl Harbor, where she remained for the next eight years engaged in training and operations with fleet units.[5]
On 12 September 1925, R-4 rescued John Rodgers, and his crew, who had just failed to make the first aerial crossing of the Pacific Ocean, from California to Hawaii, off the coast of Kauai.[7]
R-4, ordered back to the Atlantic, with Divisions9 and 14, on 12 December 1930, transited the Panama Canal, on 18 January 1931, and arrived on 9 February, at New London. She was soon assigned to Division4, and served as a training ship for the next ten years, on rotating duty between the New London Submarine School, and the Yale UniversityNROTC unit.[5] An interesting incident took place during this assignment: according to one enlisted man (trainee), the submarine became stuck in the winter ice on the river and the trainees had to walk back to base. In 1940 and 1941, LieutenantGlynn R. Donaho, a future vice admiral, was her commanding officer.[citation needed]
R-4 departed New London, on 26 May 1941, for Key West, Florida, and patrol duty in the Florida Straits, with Division12. Back at New London, for the first two weeks in July, she returned to Key West, at midmonth, and until March 1945, alternated duties for the Fleet Sonar School, with patrols in the Florida Strait and the Yucatán Channel.[5]
Fate
At Port Everglades, Florida, from 11 March to 15 April 1945, R-4 returned to Key West, to prepare for inactivation. On 1 June, she was withdrawn from active duty, and on 4 June, she got underway for Philadelphia. Escorted by submarine chaserSC-1001, she arrived at Philadelphia, on 8 June, decommissioned on 18 June, and was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 11 July. On 22 January 1946,[3] she was sold for scrap to the North American Smelting Company.[5]
Mohl, Michael. "R-4 (SS-81)". Navsource.net. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN0-85177-245-5.
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