From: Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Vol. III, p. 1-2





G-2





(SS-27: dp. 400 (n.); l. 161'; b. 13'1"; dr. 12'; s. 14 k.; cpl. 24; a. 


4 18" tt.; cl. G-2)





G-2 was laid down as TUNA 20 October 1909, renamed G-2, 17 November 


1911; launched by the Lake Torpedo Boat Co., Bridgeport, Conn., 10 


January 1912; sponsored by Miss Marjorie F. Miller; completed in the New 


York Navy Yard, and commissioned 6 February 1915, Lt. (j.g.) R. C. 


Needham in command. 





G-2 joined Division 3 of the Submarine Flotilla 27 March at Portsmouth, 


Va., for practice cruises that found her at Norfolk, Charleston, New 


York, Newport, and Provincetown. The submarine was extensively 


overhauled in the New York Navy Yard and the Lake Torpedo Boat Co. from 


26 March 1916 to 28 June 1917, then reported to the Submarine Flotilla, 


Patrol Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet at New London, Conn. 





The submarine remained at New London for further installations until 23 


August when she left for instructional and experimental operations out 


of Boston off Boston Lightship. With students embarked, she assisted in 


proving out submarine detection devices for the Experimental Board 


embarked in Margaret, and in experimental problems with SC-6. 





G-2 shifted her base from Boston to New London, Conn., 20 October 1917 


and combined experimental work on sound detection devices with training 


for the newly established Submarine School in the area of Block Island 


and Long Island Sounds. She had defensive patrol duty during June and 


July 1918, maintaining a listening and periscope alert on station off 


Block Island. She experimented with magnetic detectors and the Very 


System Signal device and tested the strength of her hull against depth 


charges. Concurrently, she trained student officers in cooperation with 


the Experimental Station at New London, Conn. 





G-2 continued schoolship and experimental duty until after World War I, 


and she decommissioned 2 April 1919. She was designated as a target for 


testing depth charges and ordnance nets in Niantic Bay, Conn. During 


inspection by a six-man maintenance crew on 30 July 1919, the target 


boat suddenly flooded and sank at her moorings in Two Tree Channel near 


Niantic Bay. She went down in 134 fathoms, drowning three of the 


inspection crew. The submarine was never raised.