USS ''Marlin'' (SST-2), originally USS ''T-2'' (SST-2), was a ''T-1''-class training submarine in commission from 1953 to 1973. She was the second submarine of the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

to be named for the

marlin Marlins are fish from the family Istiophoridae, which includes about 10 species. A marlin has an elongated body, a spear-like snout or bill, and a long, rigid dorsal fin which extends forward to form a crest. Its common name is thought to deri ...

, a large game fish. Except for the first 25 early development pre-

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

submarines, she was one of the smallest operational submarines ever built for the U.S. Navy.

Construction and commissioning

''T-2'' was laid down on 1 May 1952 by the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton,

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its capita ...

. She was launched on 14 October 1953, sponsored by Mrs. William R. DeLoach, and commissioned as USS ''T-2'' on 20 November 1953 with

Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...

Edward Holt in command.

Service history

After shakedown in the

Massachusetts Bay Massachusetts Bay is a bay on the Gulf of Maine that forms part of the central coastline of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Description The bay extends from Cape Ann on the north to Plymouth Harbor on the south, a distance of about . Its ...

area, ''T-2'', got underway from

New London New London may refer to: Places United States *New London, Alabama *New London, Connecticut *New London, Indiana *New London, Iowa *New London, Maryland *New London, Minnesota *New London, Missouri *New London, New Hampshire, a New England town ** ...

, Connecticut, in late January 1954 for her home port at Naval Station Key West at Key West,

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

. Assigned to Submarine Squadron 12, Submarine Force,

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, she immediately began operations in the sector from southern

to Guantánamo Bay,

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

. For a decade and a half she performed valuable service as a target and training ship and helped to evaluate submarine and

antisubmarine warfare Anti-submarine warfare (ASW, or in older form A/S) is a branch of underwater warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, submarines, or other platforms, to find, track, and deter, damage, or destroy enemy submarines. Such operations are ty ...

equipment and tactics. Renamed ''Marlin'' on 15 May 1956, the submarine deployed to Guantanamo Bay for services to the Fleet Training Group in January 1956, July and August 1958, March 1960, and December 1961. In March 1963, ''Marlin'' participated in the

National Defense Industrial Association The National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) is a trade association for the United States government and defense industrial base. It is an 501(c)3 educational organization. Its headquarters are in Arlington, Virginia. NDIA was established ...

(NDIA) demonstration. From 1963, ''Marlin'' performed mainly target duty for both surface and air antisubmarine units at the

Fleet Sonar School The Fleet Sonar School was a United States Navy facility located at Naval Station Key West, Florida for the training of Service personnel in Sonar techniques and equipment, and Anti-submarine warfare. The facility opened in 1940, after personnel ...

at Key West. In addition to target and training duty, ''Marlin'' participated in various fleet operations. From 7 March 1965 to 4 April 1965, for example, ''Marlin'' joined her sister ship and

attack submarine An attack submarine or hunter-killer submarine is a submarine specifically designed for the purpose of attacking and sinking other submarines, surface combatants and merchant vessels. In the Soviet and Russian navies they were and are called ...

s , , and , along with a task force under Commander, Mine Force, in participating in mine warfare maneuvers.

Decommissioning

''Marlin'' and her sister ship ''Mackerel'' were decommissioned on 31 January 1973 in a dual ceremony at Naval Station Key West. Both also were stricken from the

Naval Vessel Register The ''Naval Vessel Register'' (NVR) is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from t ...

that day.

Museum ship

On 15 August 1973, the U.S. Navy donated ''Marlin'' for use as a museum ship. On 20 August 1974, she was assigned for display as a memorial submarine in Freedom Park at the Greater Omaha Marina at 2000 North 25th Street, in Omaha,

Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the sout ...

Notes

References

Citations

External links

* *
City of Omaha Parks Department Freedom Park Site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Marlin (Sst-2) T-1-class submarines Cold War submarines of the United States Ships built in Groton, Connecticut 1953 ships Museum ships in Nebraska Museums in Omaha, Nebraska Military and war museums in Nebraska National Register of Historic Places in Omaha, Nebraska Ships on the National Register of Historic Places in Nebraska