NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive
Tuna / G-2 (SS-27)
G-2 Class Submarine: Laid down, as Tuna, 20 October 1909, at Lake Torpedo Boat Co., Bridgeport, CT.; Renamed G-2, 17 November 1911; Launched, 10 January 1912; Commissioned USS G-2, 6 February 1915, at New York Navy Yard New York, NY; Decommissioned and struck from the Naval Register, 2 April 1919, and designated as a target; Final disposition: sunk at her moorings in Two Tree Channel near Niantic Bay, CT. in 81 feet of water, drowning three men. Partially salvaged in 1962. Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced 400 t., Submerged 516 t.; Length 161'; Beam 13' 1"; Draft 12' 6"; Speed, surfaced 14 kts, submerged 10.5 kts; Depth Limit 200'; Complement 1 Officer 23 Enlisted; Armament, four 18" torpedo tubes, four torpedoes; Propulsion, gasoline electric, White & Middleton Co, gasoline engines, 1,200 hp, Fuel Capacity 12,000 gals., Diehl Manufacture Co. electric motors, 520 hp, Battery Cells 120, twin propellers.
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 | 244k | The G-2 (SS-27) about to be launched on 10 January 1912 at Lake Torpedo Boat Co., Bridgeport, CT. | USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com. | |
 | 87k | Although conceived as a duplicate Seal (SS-19½), the Tuna (SS-27) dispensed with trainable tubes in favor of fixed tubes at her ends. The shutters of her paired stern tubes are visible in this pre-launch photograph. The photo shows her unusual configuration of three bow torpedo tubes, with one tube in the superstructure on top and the other two flared out on either side of the bow. She also had a torpedo tube at the stern, behind a shutter door at the end of the superstructure. | Partial text courtesy of David Johnston Photo courtesy of Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. Text courtesy of U.S. Submarines Through 1945, An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman. Naval Institute Press. |
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 | 86k | Tuna (SS-27) was Lake's second submarine for the U.S. Navy. Note Lake's trademark features: his midships and bow diving planes (each with its guard below it), his ship-shaped stern (unlike E.B.'s) and his paired conning towers, one for the commanding officer and a separate one for the navigator. Lake's watertight superstructure accommodated both torpedo tubes and a torpedo storage fore & aft. Another pair of bow tubes (not visible in the inboard profile) were blistered out from the pressure hull. | Drawing by Jim Christley courtesy of U.S. Submarines Through 1945, An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman. Naval Institute Press. | |
 | 67k | G-2 (SS-27) fitting out on 2 April 1912. | USN photo # NH 42005 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center. | |
 | 579k | Uncle Sam's Largest Submarine G-2 (SS-27), the largest submarine in the American Navy, is now anchored at the New York Navy Yard. The boat is 160 feet long, which makes her much longer than any other vessel of the same kind in the navy. She carries a crew of twenty men and can travel under water at a depth of 250 feet. The vessel is so well planned that she may remain below with her crew for forty-eight hours. | Image and text provided by University of Oregon, Knight Library; Eugene, OR., from The Evening Herald.(Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 20 February 1914, Image 2, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov. USN photo # NH 42004 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center. | |
 | 2.53k | Halftone photo of the G-2's (SS-27) conning tower and periscopes, July 1915. Note the submarine warning flag atop one of the periscopes. | Photo by Enrique Muller Jr. National Archives Identifier: 45513462 Local Identifier:165-WW-337E-13 Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov | |
 | 2.10k | Loading a torpedo that has probably been used for practice aboard the G-2 (SS-27), July 1915. | Photo by Enrique Muller Jr. National Archives Identifier: 45513820 Local Identifier: 165-WW-338B-063 Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov | |
 | 289k | Aboard G-2 (SS-27), July 1915. | Photograper: Enrique Mueller. National Archives Identifier: 45513460 Local Identifier: 165-WW-337E-12. Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov | |
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NR | BUILDING NEW SUBMARINES TO DEFEND AMERICAN COAST Submarine G-2 (SS-27) laid up for repairs. Submarine commanders—(a) K. Robottem, D-2 (SS-18),(b) C. M. Cooke, E-2 (SS-25), (c) T.Withers, commander second division of submarines, (d) Yates Stirling, commander, Atlantic squadron of submarines)(e), R. S. Fay, D-3 (SS-19), (f)E. C. Metz, D-1 (SS-17). | Image and text provided by State Historical Society of North Dakota. Photo from Grand Forks Daily Herald. (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1914-1916, 02 August 1915, Image 11, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov. | |
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417k | AT THE SUBMARINE MANEUVERS AT NEWPORT, R. I. A United States boat of the G type is nestling close alongside its "mother," the monitor Ozark (M-7). G-1 (SS-19½) arrived at New London, Conn 18 October 1915 in company with three other G-class submarines, tended by monitor Ozark. | Text courtesy of DANFS. Image and text provided by Penn State University Libraries; University Park, PA. Photo from Evening Public Ledger.(Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 07 October 1915, Final, Image 16, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov. |
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88k | G-1 (SS-19½) right and G-2 (SS-27) left, alongside Fulton (AS-1) at the Norfolk Navy Yard, VA., circa 1915. Note the 13-star "boat flag" flying at G-2's stern. | USN photo NH # 101548 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center. Photo from the Collection of Chief Quartermaster John Harold. | |
 | 1.16k | New York Navy Yard on 24 January 1916, 6 submarines in drydock. G-4 (SS-26) is in the center. Stern planes configuration makes this definitely her. Cool thing - notice the two part hatch on the aft deck. It is a hatch/scuttle combination normally found on surface ships, but EXTREMELY rare on submarines. In fact I would say this is the first time that I have ever seen this on a USN boat. It is probably a feature of her original Italian Laurenti design. The boat on the right is definitely the G-2 (SS-27). G-3 (SS-31) had a similar after superstructure, but by the date of the photo she had already received prominent blister saddle tanks on the side of the hull, and those are missing on this photo. Both boats were known to be in New York during the time of the photo. I'd like to say that the left hand boat is a "K" boat just due to the fact there is some painted Camo in the top of the periscope shears. K-5 (SS-36) or K-6 (SS-37) maybe. The rest of the boats are the other K boats, K-1 (SS-32) & K-2 (SS-33). | Photo & text i.d. courtesy of Ric Hedman & David Johnston. National Archives Identifier: 6881098 Agency-Assigned Identifier: F542N150 Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov | |
 | 77k | G-2 (SS-27) underway on the surface, prior to World War I, with crewmen on deck "getting a little fresh air". Photographed by E. Muller and N. Moser, New York. Note this submarine's 13-star "boat" flag. | USN photo # NH 102651 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center. Collection of Christopher H.W. Lloyd. | |
 | 82k | This is a hand tinted picture of the above photograph by Enrique Muller, showing the G-2 (SS-27) underway, circa 1916. | Photo courtesy of Ric Hedman. | |
 | 636k | G-2 (SS-27) underway, circa 1916, with Fulton (AS-1) following astern. | Photo fix courtesy of Jim Kelling. Photo from the publication "The United States Navy", courtesy of Roy C. Thomas. |
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815k | The US SUBMARINE G-4 SUBMERGING. The boat is actually the G-2 (SS-27). The configuration of the conning tower fairwater and the periscope shears match that of the G-2. The G-4's scopes were both sited forward of the conning tower hatch, while the G-2 had hers arranged one forward and one aft of the hatch as is shown here. | Photo i.d. & text courtesy of David Johnston Photo from the files of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum courtesy of Darryl L. Baker, possibly by Enrique Muller from the "Harper's Pictorial Library of the World War Vol. XI”, Children's Book of War. | |
 | 447k | Broadside view of the G-2 (SS-27) at the New York Navy Yard, 27 June 1917. She 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. | Text courtesy of DANFS. Photo No. F644n350, from the New York Navy Yard Archive - courtesy National Archive and Records Administration, Northeast Region - NYC, Record Group 181 via flicker.com. |
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 | 99k | The crew of N-1 (SS-53) "horsing" a 2,000-pound torpedo through the loading hatch, 1918, probably at New London CT. The stow-able davit with head sheave and hand winch is a necessary part of this exercise unless a shore side crane can be used. Note: There are other submarines that can be seen moored in the background. The submarine G-2 (SS-27) is the only boat readily identifiable. | Photo & text courtesy of Beneath the Surface: World War I Submarines Built in Seattle and Vancouver by Bill Lightfoot. Photo courtesy of John Parker. | |
 | 84k | G-2 (SS-27) in a floating drydock at the Thames Towboat Company, New London, Connecticut, 1918. | USN photo # NH 80587 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Lieutenant O.E. Wightman. | |
 | 91k | G-2's (SS-27) crew, circa early 1918. Her Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Joseph E. Austin, is in the center of the front row, with the dog. He is flanked by her six Chief Petty Officers, with seventeen of the submarine's eighteen other enlisted men standing behind. Note comment written on the photo: "The 'Chiefs' Ran the Boat!" | USN photo # NH 80587 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Lieutenant O.E. Wightman. | |
 | 107k | G-4 (SS-26) at the New London Submarine Base, Groton, Connecticut, about February 1918. The "boats" are (from left to right): G-4, G-2 (SS-27) and L-8 (SS-48). | USN photo # NH 80743 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Lieutenant O.E. Wightman. | |
 | 82k | G-2 (SS-27) "On the rocks" at Bartlett’s Reef, circa 1 October 1918. | USN photo # NH 80599 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Lieutenant O.E. Wightman. | |
 | 568k | G-2 "On the rocks" at Bartlett’s Reef, circa 1 October 1918. | Collection of Lieutenant O.E. Wightman. Source: US Naval History Heritage and Command, Photo No. NH 80745 via Mike Green. | |
 | 81k | G-2's (SS-27) starboard White & Middleton gasoline engine, photographed circa 1918. | USN photo # NH 80747 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Lieutenant O.E. Wightman. | |
 | 79k | G-4 (SS-26) tied up alongside a dock, presumably at the New London Submarine Base, Groton, Connecticut, circa 1918. G-4 is inboard of G-2. | USNHC photograph # NH 80585. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Lieutenant O.E. Wightman. | |
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110k | N-3 (SS-55) & N-7 (SS-59) are outboard and closest to the camera in this Winter 1918 photo at New London, CT. Other boats are H-1 (SS-28), G-2 (SS-27), & E-2 (SS-25). | Photograph from the album of Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Edward D. Porges. Donated by his daughter, Gail Porges Guggenheim, 2007. USNHC photograph Photo #: NH 104987 via Robert Hurst. | |
 | 172k | Starboard side view of the G-2 (SS-27) underway, date and location unknown. | USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org. | |
 | 91k | Memorial plaque at Independence Seaport Museum, Philadelphia PA, July 2006 for the crews of United States submarines lost during peace time accidents: F-1 (SS-20), F-4 (SS-23), G-2 (SS-27), H-1 (SS-28), O-5 (SS-66), O-9 (SS-70), S-4 (SS-109), S-51 (SS-162), Squalus (SS-192), Scorpion (SSN-589) & Thresher (SSN-593). | Photo courtesy of Wendell Royce McLaughlin Jr. | |
 | 96k | Commemorative photo in memorium of the G-2 (SS-27). In the Second Book of Shmuel (Samuel), 22nd chapter, 5th through the 19th verses, translated from the original in Hebrew and published by the Koren Publishers of Jerusalem, Israel, 1982, can perhaps aptly describe the fate of the crew and all other U.S. submariners who died defending their county: "When the waves of death compassed me / the floods of ungodly men made me afraid; / the bonds of She'ol encircled me; / the snares of death took me by surprise; / in my distress I called upon the Lord, / and cried to my G-D: / and he heard my voice out of his temple, / and my cry entered into his ears. / Then the earth shook and trembled; /the foundations of heaven moved / and shook because of his anger /...the heavy mass of waters, and thick clouds of the skies /... And the channels of the sea appeared, / the foundations of the world were laid bare, / at the rebuking of the Lord, at the blast at the breath of his nostrils. / He sent from above, he took me; / he drew me out of many waters; / he delivered me from my strong enemy, and from those who hated me; for they were too strong for me. / They surprised me in the day of my calamity: / but the Lord was my stay..." | Dante's Prayer courtesy of Loreena McKennitt via loreenamckennitt.com Photo courtesy of Tom Kermen. | |
View the Tuna / G-2 (SS-27)
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