Hugh W. Hadley, Commander, US Navy 

The Story of USS V-3 Bonita

 


H. W. Hadley served on this ship from 1928-29.

From Dictionary of American Fighting Ships, Vol. I, pp. 140-41.
V-3, SF-6
Displacement: Surfaced: ??? t. Submerged: 2,000 t.
Length: 341’ 6″; Beam: 27’7”; Draft: 15’11”
Speed:
Surfaced: 18.8 k.
Submerged: ??
Complement: 56
Armament: 1 5”; 6 21” torpedo tubes

The third Bonita (SF-6) was launched 9 June 1925 as V-3 by Portsmouth Navy Yard; sponsored by Mrs. L. R. DeSteiguer, wife of Rear Admiral DeSteiguer; and commissioned 22 May 1926, Lieutenant Commander C. A. Lockwood, Jr., in command.

Assigned to Submarine Division 20, V-3 cruised along the east coast and in the Caribbean until November 1927. With her division, she then transferred to the Pacific arriving at San Diego 17 December 1927. After service with Submarine Divisions 20 and 12 along the Pacific coast and off Hawaii, she joined Submarine Division 15 of the Rotating Reserve at Mare Island Navy Yard 1 June 1932. She was renamed Bonita 9 March 1931 and reclassified SS-165, 1 July 1931

Bonita rejoined Submarine Division 12 in September 1933 and cruised in Caribbean, west coast, and Hawaiian waters through 1936. She departed San Diego 20 January 1937 and arrived at Philadelphia Navy Yard 18 February. She was placed out of commission in reserve at Philadelphia 4 June 1937.

Recommissioned 5 September 1940, she departed New London, Conn., 17 November 1940 for Coco Solo, C. Z. Bonita patrolled in the Pacific, off Panama, until she returned to Philadelphia for overhaul in October 1942. Patrolling off the Maine coast until mid-1943, she then joined Submarine Division 13, Submarine Squadron 1, on training duty out of New London. She remained on that duty until February 1945. Arriving at Philadelphia Navy Yard 17 February 1945, she was decommissioned 3 March and sold 28 October 1945.