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USS Grampus (SS-4) facts for kids

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USS Grampus in dry dock at Mare Island, 1906
USS Grampus in dry dock at Mare Island, 1906
Quick facts for kids
History
United States
Name USS Grampus
Builder
Laid down 10 December 1900
Launched 31 July 1902
Sponsored by Mrs. Marley F. Hay
Commissioned 28 May 1903
Decommissioned 25 July 1921
Stricken 16 January 1922
Fate Sunk as target
General characteristics
Class and type Plunger-class submarine
Displacement 107 long tons (109 t)
Length 63 ft 10 in (19.46 m)
Beam 11 ft 11 in (3.63 m)
Draft 10 ft 7 in (3.23 m)
Speed
  • kn (9.2 mph; 15 km/h) surfaced
  • 7 kn (8.1 mph; 13 km/h) submerged
Complement 7 officers and men
Armament 1 × 18 inch (450 mm) torpedo tube

The USS Grampus (SS-4) was an early submarine of the United States Navy. It was part of the Plunger-class. Later, its name was changed to A-3. This submarine was named after the grampus, a type of dolphin. It was the fourth U.S. Navy ship to carry this name.

Building a Submarine

The Grampus started being built on December 10, 1900. This happened at Union Iron Works in San Francisco, California. Union Iron Works was working for the Holland Torpedo Boat Company.

Launching the Grampus

The submarine was launched into the water on July 31, 1902. Mrs. Marley F. Hay, whose husband worked at Union Iron Works, was the sponsor. She helped launch the ship.

During the christening ceremony, something unusual happened. The ribbon holding the champagne bottle broke. Some sailors thought this was a bad sign, like a curse on the ship.

Joining the Navy Fleet

The Grampus officially joined the Navy on May 28, 1903. This ceremony, called commissioning, took place at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard. Lieutenant Arthur MacArthur III was the first commander. He was the brother of the famous General Douglas MacArthur.

Early Life of the Submarine

For about three and a half years, the Grampus worked near San Francisco. Its main jobs were training and testing new ideas.

Helping After the Earthquake

On April 18, 1906, a huge earthquake hit San Francisco. It caused a lot of damage. Sailors from the Grampus helped people after the disaster. They were part of the relief efforts.

After this, the Grampus was taken out of service on November 28, 1906. This is called decommissioning. It stayed inactive for a while.

Back in Action

The submarine was put back into service on June 13, 1908. It joined the First Submarine Division in the Pacific. Later, it became part of the United States Pacific Fleet. The Grampus operated along the California coast.

On November 17, 1911, the submarine got a new name: A-3. It was then moved to the Pacific Reserve Fleet on June 28, 1912.

Journey to the Philippines

The A-3 stayed out of service at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard until 1915. On February 16, 1915, it was lifted onto a supply ship called the Hector.

The Hector sailed to the Philippines. It carried A-3 and its sister ship, A-5, on its deck. The ships arrived in Olongapo on March 26. A-3 was put back into the water on April 10.

Service in Asia

A week later, on April 17, the A-3 was commissioned again in Olongapo. It joined the First Submarine Division of the United States Asiatic Fleet. The submarine stayed active with this group until July 25, 1921.

During World War I, the A-3 patrolled the waters near Manila Bay. Its job was to protect the area. On July 17, 1920, the submarine was given a special number, SS-4. This is called a hull classification symbol.

End of Service

The A-3 was taken apart. Its parts were then used as a target for other ships in the Asiatic Fleet. This means other ships practiced shooting at it. The A-3 was officially removed from the Navy's list of ships on January 16, 1922.

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