USS O-2

USS O-2 (SS-63) diving, during training operations out of New London, Connecticut, 26 November 1943
History
United States
Name	O-2
Ordered	3 March 1916
Builder	Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington
Cost	$698,412.51 (hull and machinery) [1]
Laid down	7 July 1917
Launched	24 May 1918
Sponsored by	Mrs. Mary Chew
Commissioned	19 October 1918
Decommissioned	25 June 1931
Recommissioned	3 February 1941
Decommissioned	26 July 1945
Stricken	11 August 1945
Identification	Hull symbol: SS-63 (17 July 1920) Call sign: NETJ
Fate	Sold for scrap, 16 November 1945
General characteristics [2] [3]
Class & type	O-1-class submarine
Displacement	520 long tons (528 t) surfaced 629 long tons (639 t) submerged
Length	172 ft 4 in (52.53 m)
Beam	18 ft (5.5 m)
Installed power	880  bhp (656 kW) diesel 740 hp (552 kW) electric
Propulsion	2 × NELSECO 6-EB-14 diesel engines 2 × New York Navy Yard electric motors 2 × 60-cell batteries 2 × Propellers
Speed	14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) surfaced 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph) submerged
Range	5,500 nmi (10,200 km) at 11.5 kn (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph) surfaced 250 nmi (460 km) at 5 kn (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth	200 ft (61 m)
Capacity	21,897 US gal (82,890 L; 18,233 imp gal) fuel
Complement	2 officers 27 enlisted
Armament	4 × 18 inch (450 mm) bow torpedo tubes (8 torpedoes) 1 × 3 in (76 mm)/23 caliber retractable deck gun

USS O-2 (SS-63), also known as "Submarine No. 63", was one of 16 O-class submarines of the United States Navy commissioned during World War I. She was recommissioned prior to the United States entry into WWII, for use as a trainer.

Design

The O-1-class submarines were designed to meet a Navy requirement for coastal defense boats. ^[4] The submarines had a length of 172 ft 4 in (52.5 m) overall, a beam of 18 ft 1 in (5.5 m), and a mean draft of 14 ft 5 in (4.4 m). They displaced 520 long tons (530 t) on the surface and 629 long tons (639 t) submerged. The O-class submarines had a crew of 2 officers and 27 enlisted men. They had a diving depth of 200 ft (61.0 m). ^{[5] [2]}

For surface running, the boats were powered by two 440- brake-horsepower (328 kW) NELSECO 6-EB-14 diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 370-horsepower (276 kW) New York Navy Yard electric motor. ^[3] They could reach 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) on the surface and 10.5 kn (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph) underwater. On the surface, the O-class had a range of 5,500 nautical miles (10,200 km; 6,300 mi) at 11.5 kn (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph). ^[5]

The boats were armed with four 18-inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes in the bow. They carried four reloads, for a total of eight torpedoes. The O-class submarines were also armed with a single 3 in (76 mm)/23 caliber retractable deck gun. ^{[5] [2]}

Construction

O-2's keel was laid down on 27 July 1917, by the Puget Sound Navy Yard, in Bremerton, Washington. She was launched on 24 May 1918, ^[6] sponsored by Mrs. Mary Chew, ^[7] and commissioned at Puget Sound, on 19 October 1918. ^[6]

Service history

During World War I, O-2 patrolled off the New England coast until war's end. ^[6]

When the US Navy adopted its hull classification system on 17 July 1920, she received the hull number SS-63. ^[3]

Reclassified as a second-line submarine on 25 July 1924, and reverting to a first-liner on 6 June 1928, she served at the submarine base, New London, Connecticut, in training officers and men until 1931, except for a brief tour at Coco Solo, Panama Canal Zone, in 1924. In 1931, she transferred to the Philadelphia Navy Yard, where she decommissioned on 25 June 1931. ^[6]

With increasing possibility of US involvement in World War II, O-2 recommissioned at Philadelphia, on 3 February 1941. Steaming to New London, in June, she trained submarine crews there until after Germany collapsed. ^[6]

Fate

She decommissioned on 26 July 1945, was struck on 11 August 1945, and was sold on 16 November 1945. ^[6]

Awards

• World War I Victory Medal
• American Defense Service Medal
• American Campaign Medal
• World War II Victory Medal

References

1. Navy List 1921, p. 768.
2. Friedman 1995, p. 307.
3. Priolo & O-2.
4. Friedman 1995, pp. 86–87.
5. Gardiner & Gray 1985, p. 129.
6. DANFS & O-2.
7. Hall 1925, p. 158.

Bibliography

• "Table 21 - Ships on Navy List June 30, 1919". Congressional Serial Set. U.S. Government Printing Office: 768. 1921.
• Gary, Priolo. "O-2 (SS-63)". Navsource.net. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
• Friedman, Norman (1995). U.S. Submarines Through 1945: An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN   1-55750-263-3.
• Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN   0-85177-245-5.
• "O-2". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships . Navy Department, Naval History and Heritage Command . Retrieved 29 October 2025. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
• Hall, Anne Martin (1925). Ships of the United States navy and their sponsors, 1913-1923 . Retrieved 29 October 2025.

External links

• Photo gallery of USS O-2 (SS-63) at NavSource Naval History