USS F-2 (SS-21)

For other uses of "SS-21", see SS-21 (disambiguation).

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

USS Barracuda/F-2 (SS-21), also known as "Submarine Torpedo Boat No. 21", was an F-class submarine. She was the first ship of the United States Navy named for the barracuda, but was renamed F-2 while under construction.

USS F-2, ex-Barracuda, underway in San Diego Harbor, California, c. 1912–1914
History
United States
Name	Barracuda
Namesake	The barracuda
Builder	Electric Boat (design) Union Iron Works, San Francisco, California
Cost	$470,519.44(hull and machinery)[1]
Laid down	23 August 1909
Launched	19 March 1912
Sponsored by	Miss Annette Reid Rolph
Commissioned	25 June 1912
Decommissioned	16 March 1916
Recommissioned	13 June 1917
Decommissioned	17 March 1922
Renamed	F-2 (Submarine Torpedo Boat No.21), 17 November 1911
Identification	Hull symbol: SS-21 (15 July 1920) Call sign: NCJ
Fate	Sold, 17 August 1922
General characteristics [2]
Class & type	F-class submarine
Displacement	330 long tons (335 t) surfaced 400 long tons (406 t) submerged
Length	142 ft 6 in (43.43 m)
Beam	15 ft 5 in (4.70 m)
Draft	12 ft 2 in (3.71 m)
Installed power	780 hp (582 kW) diesel 620 hp (462 kW) electric
Propulsion	2 × NELSECO diesel engines 2 × Electro Dynamic electric motors 2 × 60-cell batteries 2 × Propellers
Speed	13.5 kn (25.0 km/h; 15.5 mph) surfaced 11.5 kn (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph) submerged
Range	2,300 nmi (4,300 km; 2,600 mi) at 11 kn (20 km/h; 13 mph) surfaced 100 nmi (190 km; 120 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth	200 ft (61 m)
Capacity	11,500 US gal (44,000 L; 9,600 imp gal) fuel
Complement	1 officers 21 enlisted
Armament	4 × 18 inch (450 mm) bow torpedo tubes (4 torpedoes)

Design

The F-class boats had an overall length of 142 ft 7 in (43.5 m), a beam of 15 ft 5 in (4.7 m), and a mean draft of 12 ft 2 in (3.7 m). They displaced 330 long tons (340 t) on the surface and 400 long tons (410 t) submerged with a diving depth of 200 ft (61.0 m). The F-class submarines had a crew of 1 officer and 21 enlisted men.^[3]

Plans for the F-class submarines of the US Navy

For surface running, the boats were powered by two 390-brake-horsepower (291 kW) NELSECO diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 310-horsepower (231 kW) electric motor. They could reach 14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph) on the surface and 11.25 kn (20.84 km/h; 12.95 mph) underwater. On the surface, the boats had a range of 2,500 nmi (4,600 km; 2,900 mi) at 11 kn (20 km/h; 13 mph)^[3] and 100 nmi (190 km; 120 mi) at 5 kn (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged.^[4]

The F-class submarines were armed with four 18-inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes in the bow, no reloads were carried.^[4]

Construction

Barracuda's keel was laid down by Union Iron Works, of San Francisco, California, on 23 August 1909. She was launched on 19 March 1912, sponsored by Miss Annette Reid Rolph, daughter of James Rolph, the mayor of San Francisco. She was renamed F-2 on 17 November 1911, and commissioned on 25 June 1912.^[5]

Service history

F-2 joined the 1st Submarine Group, Pacific Torpedo Flotilla, in operations between San Diego, California, and San Pedro, out of San Pedro Submarine Base, the Flotilla's base. She continued to play an important part in developing tactics and coordinating the use of undersea craft with the fleet during an extended training period in the Hawaiian Islands, the boats towed to their destination by armored cruisers, from August 1914 through November 1915.^[5]

After lying in ordinary at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, between 15 March 1916 and 13 June 1917, F-2 became flagboat of Division 1, Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet. Returning to operations out of San Pedro, she participated in surface and submerged exercises, torpedo-proving practice, experiments in balancing at various depths, and trained prospective crews of new submarines.^[5]

Fate

On 18 September 1919, she was placed in reserve commission at San Pedro, to be used in elemental school work until decommissioned at Mare Island, on 16 March 1922. She was sold on 17 August.^[5]