Built as a submarine by Crescent Shipyard, Elizabeth, New Jersey for the USS Navy.
21 May 1901 keel laid down.
01 February 1902 launched as USS PLUNGER (SS-2), sponsored by Miss Ernestine Wardwell, PLUNGER means a diver or a daring gambler.
Displacement 109 tons surfaced, 123 tons submerged, dim. 20 x 3.7 x 3.4m.
Powered by a Otto gas engine, 160 hp. Electric Dynamo motor , 150 hp, speed surfaced 8 knots, submerged 7 knots, one screw.
Armament 1 – 18 inch torpedo tube, forward, carried 5 torpedoes.
Crew 1 officer and 6 enlisted.
19 September 1903 commissioned at New Suffolk, L.I under command of Lt. Charles P. Nelson.
After commissioning, PLUNGER reported to Naval Torpedo Station, Newport, R.I., and operated in and around Provincetown and Newport. She ran test dives and did experimental work on machinery, armaments, and tactics giving the Navy invaluable information on the new science of submarine warfare. Perhaps her greatest contribution was training her own crew and those of other submarines nearing completion. After overhaul at the Holland Dock from March to November 1904, the boat resumed her testing functions.
President Theodore Roosevelt was so impressed with the new naval weapon that he determined to see it at work in person. With the President on board, PLUNGER made a test dive on 25 March 1905. Reporting the adventure, Roosevelt declared, "Never in my life have I had such a diverting day nor so much enjoyment in so few hours."
After overhaul at New London, PLUNGER decommissioned 3 November. She remained in ordinary until re-commissioning 23 February 1907, to join the 1st Submarine Flotilla with PORPOISE (SS–7) and SHARK (SS–8). The boat continued operations with this flotilla along the Atlantic coast for the next several years.
In May 1909, Ens. Chester Nimitz, who would win undying fame in World War II as Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet, took command of the boat. In September, she steamed to New York for the Hudson-Fulton celebration. On 6 November 1909, PLUNGER decommissioned and went into reserve at Charleston. Assigned to the Reserve Torpedo Division 12 on 17 April 1910, the boat was re-named A–1 on 17 November 1911.
A–1 was struck from the Navy List 24 February 1913 and used as a target until sold 26 January 1922 for scrap.
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Source: Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, various web-sites.
Peter Crichton
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