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USS Pike, SS-6
 The submarine torpedo boat A-6, Plunger class, was originally laid down as Pike (Submarine Torpedo Boat No. 6) on 10 December 1900 at San Francisco, Calif., by Union Iron Works, a subcontractor for the John P. Holland Torpedo Boat Co., of New York, launched on 14 January 1903; and commissioned at the Mare Island Navy Yard, Lt. Arthur MacArthur, Jr. (the elder brother of future General of the Army Douglas MacArthur) in command.
Pike operated out of the Mare Island Navy Yard for over three years, operating principally in experimental and training roles.
Decommissioned on 28 November 1906, Pike remained inactive until 8 June 1908, when she was recommissioned for local operations with the Pacific Torpedo Flotilla, off the Pacific coast. She remained attached to this unit into June of 1912. Toward the end of this period, Pikewas renamed A-5 (Submarine Torpedo Boat No. 6) on 17 November 1911.
A-5 arrived at the Puget Sound Navy Yard on 26 June 1912 and, two days later, was placed in reserve. Following two and a half years of inactivity there, A-5 was loaded on board the collier Hector on 15 February 1915 (her sistership Grampus, A-3,Submarine Torpedo Boat No. 4, was loaded the next day). A-5 made the voyage to the Philippines as deck cargo. She arrived at Olongapo on 26 March, and assigned to the Asiatic Fleet.
Shortly after the United States entered World War I, A-5 sank while moored at the Cavite Navy Yard, on 15 April 1917, her sinking attributed to a slow leak in a main ballast tank. She was raised on 19 April and, following reconditioning, returned to active service. Like her sisterships, she patrolled the waters off the entrance to Manila Bay during the course of the war with the Central Powers.
A-5,given the alphanumeric hull number SS-6 on 17 July 1920, was decommissioned on 25 July 1921. Mrked as a target vessel the submarine torpedo boat was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 16 January 1922.
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US submarine Pike (Plunger class, Pike SS-6, 1903) |
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