USS C-2 (SS-13)

USS C-2 (SS-13) was one of five C-class submarines built for the United States Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.

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

USS C-2 in the Atlantic Ocean sometime between 1912 and 1919.
History
United States
Name: USS Stingray
Builder:
Laid down: 4 March 1908
Launched: 8 April 1909
Sponsored by: Ms. Elizabeth Stevens
Commissioned: 23 November 1909
Decommissioned: 23 December 1919
Renamed: C-2, 17 November 1911
Stricken: 23 December 1919
Fate: Sold for scrap, 13 April 1920
General characteristics
Class and type: C-class submarine
Displacement:
  • 238 long tons (242 t) surfaced
  • 275 long tons (279 t) submerged
Length: 105 ft 4 in (32.11 m)
Beam: 13 ft 11 in (4.24 m)
Draft: 10 ft 11 in (3.33 m)
Installed power:
  • 480 bhp (360 kW) (gasoline)
  • 230 hp (170 kW) (electric)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph) surfaced
  • 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 776 nmi (1,437 km; 893 mi) at 8.13 knots (15.06 km/h; 9.36 mph) on the surface
  • 24 nmi (44 km; 28 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) submerged
Test depth: 200 feet (61.0 m)
Complement: 15 officers and enlisted
Armament: 2 × 18 inch (450 mm) bow torpedo tubes (4 torpedoes)

Description

The C-class submarines were enlarged versions of the preceding B class, the first American submarines with two propeller shafts. They had a length of 105 feet 3 inches (32.1 m) overall, a beam of 13 feet 10 inches (4.2 m) and a mean draft of 10 feet 10 inches (3.3 m). They displaced 240 long tons (240 t) on the surface and 273 long tons (277 t) submerged. The C-class boats had a crew of 1 officer and 14 enlisted men. They had a diving depth of 200 feet (61.0 m).[1]

For surface running, they were powered by two 240-brake-horsepower (179 kW) Craig gasoline engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 115-horsepower (86 kW) electric motor. They could reach 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph) on the surface and 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) underwater. On the surface, the boats had a range of 776 nautical miles (1,437 km; 893 mi) at 8.13 knots (15.06 km/h; 9.36 mph) and 24 nmi (44 km; 28 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) submerged.[1]

The boats were armed with two 18 inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes in the bow. They carried two reloads, for a total of four torpedoes.[2]

Construction and career
Sponsor Miss Elizabeth Stevens, holding the Sponsor's Bouquet, standing near USS Stingray's bow, ready to christen her during the launching ceremonies at the Fore River Shipyard at Quincy, Massachusetts, on 8 April 1909.

C-2 was laid down by Fore River Shipbuilding Company in Quincy, Massachusetts — under a subcontract from Electric Boat Company — as USS Stingray. She was launched on 8 April 1909 sponsored by Ms. Elizabeth Stevens, and commissioned on 23 November 1909, Ensign E. B. Armstrong in command. She was renamed USS C-2 on 17 November 1911. C-2 — assigned to the Atlantic Torpedo Fleet and later the Atlantic Submarine Flotilla — cruised along the East Coast until 20 May 1913, when she cleared Norfolk, Virginia, for six months of operations from Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. In December, she reported at Cristóbal, Colón, Panama, and began an operating schedule of torpedo practice, exploration of anchorages, and harbor defense duty at ports of the Panama Canal Zone. During the latter part of World War I, C-2 patrolled the Florida coast. The submarine was placed in ordinary at Coco Solo, Canal Zone on 22 August 1919, and was decommissioned on 23 December 1919. She was sold for scrap on 13 April 1920.

Notes
  1. Friedman, p. 306
  2. Gardiner & Gray, p. 127

References
  • 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.
  • This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entries can be found here and here.
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