Adder Class Submarine Torpedo Boat: Laid down as Plunger, 21 May 1901, at Crescent Shipyards, Elizabethport, NJ ; Launched, 1 February 1902; Commissioned USS Plunger, 19 September 1903, at the Holland Co., New Suffolk, Long Island, NY; Decommissioned, 3 November 1905; Recommissioned, 7 March 1907; Renamed USS A-1 (Submarine Torpedo Boat No.2), 17 November 1911; Decommissioned, (date unknown); Struck from the Naval Register, 24 February 1913; Authorized as an experimental target, designated Target E, 29 August 1916; Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 26 January 1922. Specifications: Displacement; Surfaced, 107 t., Submerged, 123 t.; Length 63' 10"; Beam 11' 11"; Draft 10' 7"; Speed, Surfaced, 8 kts, Submerged, 7 kts; Depth Limit 150'; Complement, 1 Officer, 6 Enlisted; Armament, one 18" torpedo tube, 5 torpedoes; Propulsion, Otto Gas Engine Works gasoline engine, HP 160; Fuel Capacity 767 gal.; Electro Dynamic electric motors, HP 150; Battery Cells 60; single screw.
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304k | Diagram of the submarine Plunger (SS-2). | Photo courtesy of Jim Stats and submitted by Darryl L. Baker. | |
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100k | On the stocks at the Lewis Nixon yard on 18 January 1901. A-1 illustrates typical single hull construction. The pressure hull is wrapped around the frames, and any tankage is inside. Bulkheads for some tanks have already been installed. Framing for another boat is visible through the frames. (Submarine Force Museum and Library. | Photo and text courtesy of U.S. Submarines Through 1945, An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman. Naval Institute Press. | |
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856k | Plunger and Shark moored, 1902. Photo is labeled U.S.S.M.B. Plunger, possibly a Holland Co. photo. | US National Archives photo # 19-N-15-25, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives. | |
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67k | Plenty of free parking at the Holland plant at 100 Broadway, New York. The Plunger appears here along with other Holland type submarines at anchor at a New York dock in 1902. | Photo from War Under The Pacific, by K.Wheeler and submitted courtesy of Robert Hurst. | |
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107k | Moccasin (SS-5) Electric Boat Company/Holland Torpedo Boat Company facility, New Suffolk, Long Island, New York. Submarines in the facility basin, circa 1903. Boats in the front group are (from left to right): Plunger (SS-2); Porpoise (SS-7); and Adder (SS-3). In the background, by the breakwater are (left-right): Shark (SS-8) and Moccasin (SS-5). Photographed by Legendre & Levick, New York. |
USNHC photograph # NH 45937. | |
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107k | Plunger hauled out of the water, during the early 1900s. Note the bollard in the foreground, made from an old muzzle-loading cannon. | Photo courtesy of the Electric Boat Company, Groton, Connecticut & USNHC photograph # NH 42622. | |
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107k | Officer in the Plunger's conning tower hatch, circa the early 1900s. Published on a contemporary picture postal card. | USNHC photograph # NH 85735. Courtesy of Alfred Cellier, 1977. | |
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101k | The submarine Plunger (SS-2) at the New York Navy Yard, circa 1903. Massachusetts, (BB-2) is under refit in the background. Published on a stereographic card by the Keystone View Company, circa 1918. | Photo from the USNHC, # NH 85293. Courtesy of Commander Donald J. Robinson, USN(MSC), 1977. | |
 | 514k | Tank layout of the Adder class submarine by Bureau of Construction and Repair, Navy Department August 1904. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl L. Baker. | |
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1.30k | File Unit: Plans for the Submarine Plunger (SS-2), 19 September 03. | Item Unit: Midship Section, Plunger: 1789 - 1967,
Series: Alphabetical Series of Ship Engineering Drawings, 1789 - 1967,
Record Group 19: Records of the Bureau of Ships, 1940 - 1966 National Archives Identifier: 167816557 Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov | |
 | 94k | The submarine Plunger (SS-2) hauled out of the water at a Navy yard, circa 1903-1905. Alabama (BB-8) is in the right background. | Photo from the USNHC, # NH 102428. Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Cahn, 1990. | |
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593k | "EVERYTHING SATISFACTORY" NOT ENOUGH ON UNITED STATES SUBMARINE. MUST BE M0RE THAN THAT ON THE PLUNGER (SS-2) WHEN SHE STARTS TO SINK-IF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT SHOULD TAKE A NOTION TO HAVE A TALK WITH FATHER NEPTUNE |
Image and text provided by University of New Mexico. Photo & text by Albuquerque Evening Citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1905-1907, 22 August 1905, Image 17, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov. |
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1.00k | PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT WILL NOT MAKE TRIP ABOARD THE SUBMARINE BOAT PLUNGER (SS-2) SUBMARINE TORPEDO BOAT PLUNGER NOW AT OYSTER BAY TO GIVE EXHIBITION FOR PRESIDENT. While he is interested in the performance of the vessel, the report that he intends to go aboard the vessel while she is going through her maneuvers under water is without foundation, and the President requested that it be denied. |
Image and text provided by State Historical Society of Missouri; Columbia, MO. Photo & text by The St. Louis Republic.(St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 24 August 1905, Image 2, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov. |
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853k | Eighteen new submarines for Uncle Sam. Among the photos is the Plunger (SS-2) plunging with President Theodore Roosevelt off Long Island Sound on 25 August 1905. |
Image and text provided by University of California, Riverside. Photo & text by The San Francisco Call. (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 25 August 1905, Image 6, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov. |
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802k | ROOSEVELT DEMONSTRATES EFFICIENCY OF SUBMARINE BOAT. PRESIDENT GOES FAR UNDER WATER-At Bottom of Long Island Sound Roosevelt Guided Boat Himself, Fired Blank Torpedo, Great Results Expected |
Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC. Photo & text by The Washington Times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 26 August 1905, Night Edition, Image 3, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov. |
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1.35k | PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT UNDER WATER THREE HOURS IN PLUNGER (SS-2) In Submarine Boat He Tests Its Marvelous Performances SENSATIONS ENJOYABLE Clad Like One of the Crew the President Worked Levers of Wonderful Craft |
Image and text provided by The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundation. Photo & text by The Evening World.(New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 26 August 1905, Evening Edition, Image 4, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov. |
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NR | THE SUBMARINE PLUNGER (SS-2) In which Pesident Roosevelt went down three times yesterday at Oyster Bay. |
Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC. Photo from New-York Tribune. (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 26 August 1905, Image 1, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov. |
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 0800221 | 395k | Plunger (SS-2) alongside Apache during trials in Oyster Bay, NY, 30 August 1905. | USN photo via laststandonzombieisland.com via Tommy Trampp & David Wright. | |
 0800222 | 564k | Crew of Plunger (SS-2) in Drydock, probably circa August 1905. | USN photo via laststandonzombieisland.com via Tommy Trampp. | |
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284k | Submarine Plunger partially submerged circa 1905, with four members of crew standing on top, at close range. Oyster Bay; yachts and sailboat are in the background. | Courtesy of Library of Congress, # LC-USZ62-89935 via Mike Green. | |
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219k | Submarine Plunger going at full speed in Oyster Bay circa 1905. Starboard side view with the bow at the right and crew members on top. | Courtesy of Library of Congress, # LC-USZ62-89964 via Mike Green. | |
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503k | Crane Hercules Lifting Plunger (SS-2), Looking Northwest at Brooklyn Navy Yard on 2 November 1905. | National Archives Identifier:6880448 NARA Production Filename: job-10-a2-131-0159-00010 Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov |
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1.26k | THE PLUNGER (SS-2), IN WHICH PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT DIVED LAST SUMMER. Her torpedo tube door in the bow is opened, as is done when a torpedo is fired under water. |
Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC. Photo from New-York Tribune. (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 29 April 1906, Image 19, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov. |
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258k | Plunger alongside a coal dock at the New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, N.Y., July 1906. The names of three of the submarine's Commanding Officers are written on the print: Lieutenants C.P. Nelson, P.P. Bassett and C.W. Nimitz. The print was presented to Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz by Chief Torpedoman's Mate H.J. Chagnot, USN (Retired), who wrote on its reverse: "Admiral Nimitz: Remember this old battle wagon? As I remember it you were skipper of it after 'Juggie" Nelson. You may keep this for yourself if you see fit. Sorry to hear about English, he was my skipper on the old D-3 (SS-19) and O-4 (SS-64)." |
Text i.d. courtesy of Robert Hurst. USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org. |
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641k | View Inside a Submarine Overhead is the commanding officers platform and the steering wheel. To the right is the inside tiller-wheel and below it the driving wheel to deflect the rudders. In the middle background is the flywheel and behind it are the submarines engines. On the left is the indicator which shows the depth beneath the surface and the vessels deflection from the horizontal. The question of escape from sunken submarines is seriously engaging the attention of engineers and also that of communication with the surface. The presence of a disabled boat can be revealed by the detachable buoy connected with the vessel by a reel of wire. It also establishes telephone connection. This apparatus is now being fitted to the U. S. submarine Plunger (SS-2). |
Image and text provided by University of Utah, Marriott Library. Photo & text by The Spanish Fork Press. (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 10 January 1907, Image 6, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov. |
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63k | Lt. Guy Wilkinson Stuart Castle was the commanding officer of the Plunger (SS-2) from 1907 to 1908. | USN photo courtesy of Bill Gonyo. | |
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1.42k | New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New York: Submarines Shark (SS-8), Plunger (SS-2 ) and Porpoise (SS-7) housed over and covered with snow, in one of the Navy Yard's drydocks, 25 January 1908. | Photo i.d. via Ric Hednan . Photo courtesy of loc.gov, courtesy of the George Grantham Bain Collection. Reproduction Number LC-DIG-ggbain-00108. | |
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141k | Plunger on her way out of the New York Navy Yard, sometime before October 1909. At that time she was assigned to the First Submarine Flotilla, based at the New York Navy Yard, joining sister-ships Porpoise (SS-7), and Shark (SS-8). Among the ships in the background is the then decommissioned battleship Massachusetts (BB-2). The Massachusetts had her cage mast installed sometime in 1909. |
Partial text courtesy of DANFS. Photo i.d. and partial text i.d. courtesy of Mike Green from "U.S. Warships of WW1", by Paul Silverstone on the Indiana class listing on page #31. USN photo courtesy of Darryl L. Baker. |
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 | 145k | New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New York: Submarines Shark (SS-8), Plunger (SS-2) and Porpoise (SS-7) housed over and covered with snow, in one of the Navy Yard's drydocks, 25 January 1908. | USNHC photograph # NH 19-N-15-28-7. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives. | |
 | 1.92k | DANGERS THROUGH WHICH SUBMARINE SAILORS PASS PLUNGER (SS-2) ABOUT TO TAKE A DIVE SUBMARINE BOAT PORPOISE (SS-7) ALONGSIDE A TORPEDO BOAT, DEMONSTRATING THE TINY NATURE OF FORMER CRAFT. | Image and text provided by University of California, Riverside. Photo from The San Francisco Call.(San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 09 October 1910, Image 3 via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov. |
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NR | WHAT DANGEROUS ADVENTURE NOW REMAINS FOR COLONEL ROOSEVELT TO UNDERTAKE? He has engaged in real warfare at close quarters in Cuba, has descended into the depths of the sea by submarine, has hunted lions and elephants in Africa, hss sailed through the air in a biplane, and has returned unhurt, to pronounce them all "Bully!" Next! |
Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC. Photo & text by New-York Tribune. (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 23 October 1910, Image 17, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov. |
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528k | SUBMARINE THAT TOOK PART IN GREAT RECORD SWIM | Photo i.d. courtesy of David Johnston Image and text provided by University of Hawaii at Manoa; Honolulu, HI. Photo from Evening Bulletin. (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii) 1895-1912, 22 July 1911, 3:30 EDITION, Image 17, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov. | |
View the Plunger / A-1 (SS-2)
DANFS history entry located at Navsource.
Crew Contact And Reunion Information
Not Applicable to this Vessel
Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
PigBoats.COM TM, a Historic Look at Submarines
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