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USS K-2 (SS-33)

Please see below for item level images and donated collections containing photographs of USS K-2 (SS-33)

Initially named Cachalot (Submarine No. 33, she was renamed USS K-2 on 17 November 1911 and laid down on 20 February 1912 at Quincy, Mass., by the Fore River Shipbuilding Co. as a subcontract for the Electric Boat Co, launched on 4 October 1913; sponsored by Mrs. Ruth Chamberlain McEntee; and commissioned at the Boston (Mass.) Navy Yard on 31 January 1914, Ens. Radford Moses in command.

USS K-2 was initially assigned to the 3rd Division, Submarine Flotilla, Torpedo Flotilla, Atlantic Fleet, as of 2 February 1914. The submarine got underway and cleared the Boston Navy Yard on 5 June 1914 and reached the New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, N.Y. the following day, whereupon she drydocked for overhaul. With her work completed, she cleared the yard on 4 July and proceeded north to Newport, R.I. (4–28 July). USS K-2 cleared the New York Navy Yard on 19 January 1915 and set a course for Key West, Fla., via Charleston, S.C. (23–26 January). Raising Key West on the 29th, she remained until 5 February when she departed for training at Pensacola, Fla. En route, she visited Tampa, Fla. (6–7 February), before continuing her transit, reaching Pensacola on 9 February.

USS K-2 was again underway on 29 January 1916. Bound for Key West via Charleston (31 January–1 February), she reached on 4 February. Remaining just two days, she cleared to again to conduct training at Pensacola, as she had the preceding year. As before, she stopped for a visit at Tampa (7–14 February) en route. She arrived at Pensacola on 26 February and remained there conducting training for two months.

USS K-2 then resumed her routine patrolling duties until 20 October 1918 when she departed Ponta Delgada for the U.S. Transiting via Bermuda (29 October–3 November), the submarine arrived at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 10 November. The following day the Armistice was signed and hostilities ceased. USS K-2 and her sister submarines, after their post-deployment refit and overhaul, could resume their peacetime operations. With the completion of her overhaul, USS K-2 cleared the Philadelphia Navy Yard and with orders to return to and be based from New London, she resumed coastal operations. 

The submarines arrived at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 7 July. Ten days later, on 17 July, USS K-2 was designated SS-33 as part of a Navy-wide administrative re-organization. The boat entered dry dock on 12 October. In March 1922, K-2 reported to New London to rejoin Division 5 and operate from that base. With the end of her operational life approaching, she arrived at Hampton Roads on 15 November 1922 and on 29 January 1923 entered dry dock in preparation for decommissioning.

For a complete history of USS K-2 (SS-33) please see its DANFS page.