USS N-2 (SS-54)

The N-class boats designed by Electric Boat (N-1 throughN-3) were built to slightly different specifications from the other N-class submarines, which were designed by Lake Torpedo Boat, and are sometimes considered a separate class. The Electric Boat submarines had a length of 147 feet 3 inches (44.9 m) overall, a beam of 15 feet 9 inches (4.8 m) and a mean draft of 12 feet 6 inches (3.8 m). They displaced 347 long tons (353 t) on the surface and 414 long tons (421 t) submerged. The N-class submarines had a crew of 2 officers and 23 enlisted men. They had a diving depth of 200 feet (61.0 m).[1]

For surface running, the Electric Boat submarines were powered by two 240-brake-horsepower (179 kW) diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 280-horsepower (209 kW) electric motor. They could reach 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) on the surface and 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph) underwater. On the surface, the boats had a range of 3,500 nautical miles (6,500 km; 4,000 mi) at 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph) and 30 nmi (56 km; 35 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged.[1]

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

N-2 was laid down on 29 July 1915 by Seattle Construction and Drydock Company. She was launched on 16 January 1917 sponsored by Mrs. Whitford Drake, and commissioned on 26 September 1917 with Lieutenant Hugh C. Frazer in command. After fitting out and conducting sea trials in Puget Sound, N-2 departed the Navy Yard 21 November 1917, and sailed for San Francisco, California, in company with her sister ships N-1 (SS-53) and N-3 (SS-55). Upon arriving at San Francisco, California, she was ordered to proceed to the East Coast via the Panama Canal, for assignment to the Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. She arrived at New London, Connecticut, on 7 February 1918 and almost immediately began to patrol along the New England coast, guarding against enemy submarines in this area for the remainder of the war.

Following the end of World War I, N-2 continued her operations out of New London, serving as a training ship for the Submarine School. Beginning in late May 1921, the submarine also tested experimental Navy weapons, such as a radio controlled torpedo, and evaluated its potential value in modern combat. Placed in reduced commission 22 April 1922, N-2 continued her training and experimental duties at New London. On 11 October, she aided tanker Swiftstar grounded on the southern end of Block Island. She remained in active service until decommissioned 30 April 1926 at Philadelphia Navy Yard. Struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 18 December 1930, N-2 was scrapped in early 1931.

• 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 entry can be found here.

• Photo gallery of USS N-2 at NavSource Naval History