USS Pike (SS-6)

For other ships with the same name, see USS Pike.

USS Pike, being launched at the Union Iron Works, San Francisco, California, on 14 January 1903
History
United States
Name	Pike
Namesake	Esox lucius
Builder	Union Iron Works, San Francisco, California
Laid down	10 December 1900
Launched	14 January 1903
Commissioned	28 May 1903
Decommissioned	28 November 1906
Recommissioned	8 June 1908
Decommissioned	28 June 1912
Recommissioned	17 April 1915
Decommissioned	25 July 1921
Renamed	A-5 (Submarine Torpedo Boat No.6), 17 November 1911
Stricken	16 January 1922
Identification	Hull symbol: SS-6 (15 July 1920) Call sign: NQC
Fate	Designated as a target
General characteristics [1]
Class & type	Plunger-class submarine
Displacement	107 long tons (109 t) surfaced 123 long tons (125 t) submerged
Length	63 ft 10 in (19.46 m)
Beam	11 ft 11 in (3.63 m)
Draft	10 ft 7 in (3.23 m)
Installed power	160  bhp (120 kW) surfaced 150 bhp (110 kW) submerged
Propulsion	1 × Otto Gas Engine Works gas engine 1 × Electro Dynamic electric motor 60-cell battery 1 × shaft
Speed	8  kn (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced 7 kn (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) submerged
Test depth	150 ft (46 m)
Complement	1 officer 6 enlisted
Armament	1 × 17.7 in (450 mm) "18-in" torpedo tube (5 torpedoes)

The first USS Pike/A-5 (SS-6) also known as "Submarine Torpedo Boat No. 6", was one of seven Plunger-class submarines built for the United States Navy (USN) in the first decade of the 20th century.

Design

Plan of Plunger-class. A, storage batteries; B, gas-engine; C, dynamo and motor; D, water-tight compartments; E, main ballast tanks; F, air-flasks; G, gasolene tank; H, expulsion tube.

The Plunger-class submarines were enlarged and improved versions of the preceding Holland, the first submarine in the USN. They had a length of 63 ft 10 in (19.5 m) overall, a beam of 11 ft 11 in (3.6 m) and a mean draft of 10 ft 7 in (3.2 m). They displaced 107 long tons (109 t) on the surface and 123 long tons (125 t) submerged. The Plunger-class boats had a crew of one officer and six enlisted men. They had a diving depth of 150 feet (45.7 m). ^[2]

For surface running, they were powered by one 180- brake-horsepower (134 kW) gasoline engine that drove the single propeller. When submerged the propeller was driven by a 70-horsepower (52 kW) electric motor. ^[2] The boats could reach 8  kn (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) on the surface and 7 kn (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) underwater. ^[3]

The Plunger-class boats were armed with one 18-inch (457 mm) torpedo tube in the bow. They carried four reloads, for a total of five torpedoes. ^[2]

Construction

Pike was laid down on 10 December 1900, in San Francisco, California, by the Union Iron Works, a subcontractor for the Holland Torpedo Boat Company, of New York City. She was launched on 14 January 1903; sponsored by Mrs. Frank Baker Zahm, the wife of the naval constructor at Union Iron Works; and commissioned on 28 May 1903 at the Mare Island Navy Yard. ^[4]

Service history

Pike underway

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. ^[4]

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. ^[4]

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, ex-Grampus, was loaded the next day. A-5 made the voyage to the Philippines as deck cargo. She arrived at Olongapo, on 26 March. Relaunched on 13 April, she was recommissioned on 17 April 1915, and assigned to the Asiatic Fleet. ^[4]

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. ^[4]

Fate

A-5, was given the alphanumeric hull number SS-6 on 17 July 1920. She was decommissioned on 25 July 1921. Earmarked as a target vessel, she was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 16 January 1922. ^[4]

References

1. Mohl.
2. Friedman 1995, p. 306.
3. Gardiner & Gray 1985, p. 127.
4. Cressman 2022.

Bibliography

• Mohl, Michael. "Pike / A-5 (SS-6)". Navsource.net. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
• Cressman, Robert J. (4 August 2022). "A-5 (Submarine Torpedo Boat No. 6)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships . Navy Department, Naval History and Heritage Command . Retrieved 11 September 2025. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
• 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, eds. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN   0-85177-245-5.

Further reading

• Pigboats Archived 2023-09-26 at the Wayback Machine (retrieved 27 February 2018)
• Wright, C. C. (2003). "Question 40/02: Submarines Expended as Targets 1922". Warship International. XL (4): 286–298. ISSN   0043-0374.

External links

• Photo gallery of USS Pike at NavSource Naval History