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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
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Photo # NH 99081:  USS V-3 (later renamed Bonita) in port, circa the later 1920s

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Bonita (SS-165), 1926-1945.
Originally named V-3 (SF-6)

USS V-3, a 2000-ton V-1 class fleet submarine, was built at the Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, Maine. Commissioned in May 1926, she operated along the U.S. Atlantic coast and in the Caribbean area until going to the Pacific in December 1927. Renamed Bonita in March 1931 and redesignated SS-165 in July of that year, she was active off the West Coast until June 1932, when she entered the Rotating Reserve. The submarine resumed operations in September 1933 and, during the next three years, visited Hawaii and Alaska, as well as taking part in exercises in the Caribbean and in the eastern Pacific. Bonita, whose design had proven to be not very satisfactory, was sent back to the Atlantic in January 1937 to be laid up. She decommissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard in June 1937.

The state of National emergency that accompanied the outbreak of World War II in Europe brought Bonita back into commission in September 1940. She was stationed in Panama from late in 1940 until October 1942, conducting defensive patrols off Central America's Pacific coast. Rebuilt beginning in late 1942, Bonita was returned to service as a specialized cargo-carrying submarine in mid-1943, but was quickly found unsuitable for that role. She spent the rest of her career on training duty, based at New London, Connecticut. In March 1945, with increasing numbers of more modern submarines available for instruction purposes, USS Bonita was placed out of commission and stricken from the Navy list. She was sold for scrapping in October 1945.

This page features, and provides links to, all the views we have related to USS Bonita (SS-165) and USS V-3 (SF-6).

For additional images related to this submarine, see:

  • USS Bonita (SS-165). Originally named V-3 (SF-6) -- Aerial views in groups with other ships;
  • USS Bonita (SS-165). Originally named V-3 (SF-6) -- Surface views in groups with other ships; and
  • USS V-3 (SF-6), later renamed Bonita (SS-165) -- Construction, 1921-1926.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

    Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

    Photo #: NH 99081

    USS V-3
    (SF-6, later renamed Bonita)

    In port, circa the later 1920s, with her boats tied up to her port side.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 68KB; 740 x 600 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 56511

    USS V-3
    (SF-6, later renamed Bonita)

    Moored to a harbor buoy, prior to 1931.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 81KB; 740 x 590 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 56512

    USS V-3
    (SF-6, later renamed Bonita)

    At anchor, prior to 1931.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 61KB; 740 x 510 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 56513

    USS V-3
    (SF-6, later renamed Bonita)

    In harbor prior to 1931, with USS Holland (AS-3) beyond.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 104KB; 740 x 585 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 74639

    USS V-3
    (SF-6, later renamed Bonita)

    Entering Porto Bello Harbor, Panama, March 1927.

    Donation of Lieutenant Gustave Freret, USN (Retired), 1971.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 87KB; 740 x 375 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 91777

    USS Bonita
    (SS-165)

    At sea, with the sun low on the horizon beyond her, circa the early 1930s.
    Note signalman at work with semaphore flags, atop her superstructure.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 119KB; 740 x 605 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 56515

    USS Bonita
    (SS-165)

    Tied up at San Francisco, California, circa the early 1930s.

    Courtesy of J.A. Casoly.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 91KB; 740 x 610 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 78674

    USS Bonita
    (SS-165)

    Off Muir Glacier, Alaska, in July 1934.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 85KB; 740 x 540 pixels

    For a color reproduction of the 1934-vintage Christmas calendar featuring this photograph, see Photo #: NH 78674-KN

     
    Photo #: NH 56514

    USS Bonita
    (SS-165)

    Underway, circa the middle 1930s.
    Note that her original 5"/51 deck gun has been replaced with a 3"/50.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 132KB; 740 x 580 pixels

     


    In addition to the images presented above, the National Archives appears to hold other views of USS V-3 (SF-6) and USS Bonita (SS-165). The following list features some of these images:

    The images listed below are NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections.
    DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."



  • Photo #: 80-G-1023575
    USS V-3 (SF-6) at Kingston, Jamaica, circa 1926-1927.
    Starboard bow surface view, taken from the deck of a ship at a height well above the top of the submarine's conning tower. Land is in the background.

  • Photo #: 80-G-458667
    USS V-3 (SF-6) with a small boat alongside, circa the later 1920s.
    Port broadside view, showing V-3's midships area from forward of her 5"/51 gun to the after end of her conning tower. "V-3" is painted on the conning tower side in white figures on a dark rectangular background patch.


  • Photo #: 80-G-450191
    USS Bonita (SS-165) underway on 6 April 1943..
    Starboard broadside (somewhat toward the bow) aerial view, with the submarine underway at good speed.

  • Photo #: 80-G-241151
    USS Bonita (SS-165) underway off the U.S. East Coast (position 40-15N, 73-00W) on 4 July 1944. Photographed from a blimp of squadron ZP-12.
    Port side (rather toward the stern) aerial view, with the submarine making good speed.

  • Photo #: 80-G-453370
    USS Bonita (SS-165) underway off the U.S. East Coast (position 39-03N, 74-36W) on 13 September 1944. Photographed from the blimp K-52.
    Port quarter aerial view, showing Bonita in her final configuration as a cargo submarine. She is painted dark overall and is making good speed, with a considerable white wake around her hull.


    Reproductions of these images should be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system for pictures not held by the Naval Historical Center.

    The images listed in this box are NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections. DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


  • For additional images related to this submarine, see:

  • USS Bonita (SS-165). Originally named V-3 (SF-6) -- Aerial views in groups with other ships;
  • USS Bonita (SS-165). Originally named V-3 (SF-6) -- Surface views in groups with other ships; and
  • USS V-3 (SF-6), later renamed Bonita (SS-165) -- Construction, 1921-1926.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


    Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

    Page made 17 January 2004
    New images added 24 January 2004