USS F-2 (SS-21)

For other ships of the same name, see USS Barracuda.
USS F-2 underway in San Diego harbor, California
Career
Name: USS F-2
Builder: Union Iron Works, San Francisco, California
Laid down: 23 August 1909, as USS Barracuda
Launched: 19 March 1912
Commissioned: 25 June 1912
Decommissioned: 16 March 1922
Renamed: USS F-2, 17 November 1911
Fate: Sold, 17 August 1922
General characteristics
Class and type:F-class submarine
Displacement:330 long tons (340 t)
Length:142 ft 7 in (43.46 m)
Beam:15 ft 5 in (4.70 m)
Draft:12 ft 2 in (3.71 m)
Speed:14 kn (16 mph; 26 km/h)
Complement:22 officers and enlisted
Armament:4 × 21 in (530 mm) torpedo tubes

USS F-2 (SS-21), an F-class submarine, was named Barracuda when her keel was laid down by Union Iron Works of San Francisco, California, but was renamed on 17 November 1911. She was launched on 19 March 1912 sponsored by Miss A. R. Rolph, daughter of James Rolph, the mayor of San Francisco, and commissioned on 25 June 1912 with Lieutenant (junior grade) F. L. Chew in command.

Service history

F-2 joined the 1st Submarine Group, Pacific Torpedo Flotilla, in operations between San Diego, California, and San Pedro, California, the Flotilla's base. She continued to play an important part in developing tactics and coordinating the use of undersea craft with the fleet during an extended training period in the Hawaiian Islands from August 1914-November 1915.

After lying in ordinary at Mare Island Naval Shipyard from 16 March 1916 – 13 June 1917, F-2 became flagship of Division 1, Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet. Returning to operations out of San Pedro, she participated in surface and submerged exercises, torpedo-proving practice, experiments in balancing at various depths, and trained prospective crews of new submarines. On 18 September 1919, she was placed in reserve commission at San Pedro to be used in elemental school work until decommissioned at Mare Island on 16 March 1922. She was sold on 17 August.

Plans for the F-Class submarines of the US Navy

References

    This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

    External links