 USS Plunger (SS-2)
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders |
|
| Operators |  United States Navy |
| Preceded by | USS Holland |
| Succeeded by | B class |
| Built | 1900-1903 |
| In commission | 1903-1921 |
| Completed | 7 |
| Retired | 7 |
| Preserved | 0 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Midget submarine |
| Displacement | 107 tons |
| Length | 63 ft 10 in (19.46 m) |
| Beam | 11 ft 11 in (3.63 m) |
| Draft | 10 ft 7 in (3.23 m) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Test depth | 150 ft (46 m) |
| Complement | 7 |
| Armament | One 18-inch (450 mm) torpedo tube (3 long or 5 short torpedoes) |
The Plunger class was an early class of United States Navy submarines. In the first years of their service, they were used primarily as training and experimental vessels for the newly formed "silent service" to familiarize naval personnel with the performance and operations of such craft. They were known as the "A class" after being renamed to A-type designations (A-1 through A-7) on 17 November 1911. All except Plunger ended up being stationed in the Philippines, an American possession, prior to the outbreak of World War I. They were shipped there on colliers (coal-carrying ships) and formed an integral part of the harbor defense system for Manila. In some instances, this class of submarines is referred to as the Adder class, as USS Adder was the first boat of the class to be completed.[1][2]