USS Pike (SS-6)

Last updated
USS Pike (SS-6).jpg
USS Pike being launched at San Francisco, 1903
History
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
NameUSS Pike
Builder
Laid down10 December 1900
Launched14 January 1903
Commissioned28 May 1903
Decommissioned25 July 1921
Stricken16 January 1922
FateSunk as target
General characteristics
Class and type Plunger-class submarine
Displacement107 long tons (109 t)
Length64 ft (20 m)
Beam12 ft (3.7 m)
Draft11 ft (3.4 m)
Speed
  • 8  kn (9.2 mph; 15 km/h) surfaced
  • 7 kn (8.1 mph; 13 km/h) submerged
Complement7 officers and men
Armament1 × 18 inch (450 mm) torpedo tube

The first USS Pike (SS-6) was a Plunger-class submarine in the service of the United States Navy, later renamed as A-5.

She was laid down on 10 December 1900 at San Francisco, California by Union Iron Works, launched on 14 January 1903, and commissioned on 28 May 1903 at the Mare Island Navy Yard with Lieutenant Arthur MacArthur III in command. [1]

Pike operated out of the Mare Island Navy Yard for over three years, operating principally in experimental and training roles. Following the earthquake and subsequent fire at San Francisco on 18 April 1906, members of Pike's crew took part in the relief efforts in the wake of the disaster.

Pike underway USS Pike (SS-6) Under way.jpg
Pike underway

Decommissioned on 28 November 1906, Pike remained inactive until 8 June 1908, when she was recommissioned for local operations with the Pacific Torpedo Flotilla, off the Pacific coast. She remained attached to this unit into June 1912. Pike was renamed A-5 on 17 November 1911.

A-5 arrived at the Puget Sound Navy Yard on 26 June 1912, and was placed in reserve two days later. Following two and a half years of inactivity there, A-5 was loaded onto the collier Hector on 15 February 1915 (her sister-ship A-3 was loaded the next day). A-5 made the voyage to the Philippines as deck cargo. She arrived at Olongapo on 26 March. Launched on 13 April, she was recommissioned on 17 April and assigned to the Asiatic Fleet.

Shortly after the United States entered World War I, A-5 sank while moored at the Cavite Navy Yard on 15 April 1917; her sinking was attributed to a slow leak in a main ballast tank. She was raised on 19 April and, following reconditioning, returned to active service. Like her sister-ships, she patrolled the waters off the entrance to Manila Bay during the course of the war with the Central Powers.

A-5, given the alphanumeric hull number SS-6 on 17 July 1920, was decommissioned on 25 July 1921. Earmarked as a target vessel, she was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 16 January 1922.

Related Research Articles

USS <i>Wyoming</i> (BM-10) US Navy monitor

USS Wyoming was the second ship of the United States Navy to bear that name, but the first to bear it in honor of the 44th state. The first Wyoming was named for Wyoming Valley in eastern Pennsylvania.

USS <i>Maryland</i> (ACR-8) Pennsylvania-class armored cruiser

The second USS Maryland (ACR-8/CA-8), also referred to as "Armored Cruiser No. 8", and later renamed Frederick, was a United States Navy Pennsylvania-class armored cruiser.

USS <i>Grampus</i> (SS-4) Plunger-class submarine of the United States

USS Grampus (SS-4), a Plunger-class submarine later named A-3, was the fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named for a member of the dolphin family, Grampus griseus.

USS <i>F-3</i> F-class submarine of the United States

USS F-3 (SS-22), was a F-class submarine. She was named Pickerel when her keel was laid down by The Moran Company of Seattle, Washington, making her the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the pickerel, a type of pike. She was renamed F-3 on 17 November 1911, launched on 6 January 1912 sponsored by Mrs. M. F. Backus, and commissioned on 5 August 1912.

USS <i>Plunger</i> (SS-2) Submarine of the United States

USS Plunger (SS-2) was one of the earliest submarines of the United States Navy. She was the lead boat of her class and was later renamed A-1 when she was designated an A-type submarine. She is not to be confused with the experimental submarine Plunger which was evaluated by the U.S. Navy from 1898 to 1900, but not accepted or commissioned.

<i>Plunger</i>-class submarine United States Navy submarine class

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 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 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.

USS <i>Adder</i> Plunger-class submarine of the United States

USS Adder, later renamed A-2, was one of seven Plunger-class submarines built for the United States Navy (USN) in the first decade of the 20th century.

USS <i>Moccasin</i> (SS-5) Plunger-class submarine of the United States

USS Moccasin (SS-5) was one of seven Plunger-class submarines built for the United States Navy (USN) in the first decade of the 20th century.

USS <i>Porpoise</i> (SS-7) Plunger-class submarine of the United States

The third USS Porpoise (SS-7) was an early Plunger-class submarine in the service of the United States Navy, later renamed as A-6.

USS <i>Shark</i> (SS-8) Plunger-class submarine of the United States

USS Shark (SS-8) was the third vessel of the U.S. Navy to bear the name. She was an early Plunger-class submarine in the service of the United States Navy, later renamed as A-7.

USS <i>Ringgold</i> (DD-89) Wickes-class destroyer

USS Ringgold (DD-89) was a Wickes-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War I and the interwar period. During World War II, the vessel was transferred to the Royal Navy as a Town-class destroyer named HMS Newark, being scrapped after the end of the war in 1947.

USS <i>Bashaw</i> United States Navy submarine (1943–1969)

USS Bashaw (SS/SSK/AGSS-241), a Gato-class submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the bashaw. Between 10 March 1944 and 29 April 1945, she completed six war patrols in the Celebes, Philippine, and South China Seas during World War II. Bashaw sank three Japanese merchant vessels totaling 19,269 gross register tons as well as several small craft. She later served in the Vietnam War.

USS <i>B-3</i> B-class submarine of the United States

USS B-3 (SS-12) was one of three B-class submarines built for the United States Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.

USS <i>B-2</i> B-class submarine of the United States

USS B-2 (SS-11) was one of three B-class submarines built for the United States Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.

USS <i>Alert</i> (AS-4) Iron-hulled screw steamer gunboat in the United States Navy

The third USS Alert was an iron-hulled screw steamer gunboat in the United States Navy. The lead ship in her class, Alert was destined for a long naval career, serving from 1875 to 1922, a period of 47 years, including service as a submarine tender in World War I. Toward the end of her career she received the designation AS-4.

USS <i>Ajax</i> (AG-15) Collier of the United States Navy

USS Ajax (AC-14/AG-15) was a collier in the United States Navy. Originally she retained her previous name of Scindia, and was renamed for the mythical Ajax in 1901. In 1921, she became a receiving ship and was redesignated AC-14. She was reclassified as a seaplane tender and given the hull designator AG-15 in 1924.

USS <i>Brutus</i> Collier of the United States Navy

USS Brutus, formerly the steamer Peter Jebsen, was a collier in the United States Navy. She was built in 1894 at South Shields-on-Tyne, England, by John Readhead & Sons and was acquired by the U.S. Navy early in 1898 from L. F. Chapman & Company. She was renamed Brutus and commissioned at the Mare Island Navy Yard on 27 May 1898.

USS <i>Bagaduce</i> (AT-21) Tugboat of the United States Navy

USS Bagaduce (AT-21/ATO-21) was the lead ship of the Bagaduce class of fleet tugs for the United States Navy. She was the first ship of the U.S. Navy of that name, and is named for the Bagaduce River and a peninsula in Hancock County, Maine.

USS <i>Fortune</i> (1865) Tugboat of the United States Navy

USS Fortune was a steam-powered tugboat that served in the United States Navy intermittently from 1871 to 1922. Built in 1865, she was the first ship so named. Fortune was classified as YT-11 on 17 July 1920. Through her lengthy career, she served as a harbor tug, fireboat, cargo transport, training ship, and submarine tender, among other duties.

References

  1. Pigboats Archived 2023-09-26 at the Wayback Machine (retrieved 27 February 2018)

Bibliography

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