USS Marlin (SST-2)

USS "Marlin" (SST-2), a "T-1"-class submarine, was the second submarine of the United States Navy to be named for the marlin, a large game fish. She was originally known as T-2.

"Marlin" was laid down on 1 May 1952 by the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut. She was launched on 14 October 1953 sponsored by Mrs. William R. DeLoach, and commissioned as "T-2" on 20 November 1953 with Lieutenant Edward Holt in command.

After shakedown in the Massachusetts Bay area, "T-2", one of the smallest operational submarines ever built for the Navy, got underway from New London, Connecticut, in late January 1954 for her home port of Key West, Florida. Assigned to Submarine Squadron 12, Submarine Force, Atlantic Fleet, she immediately began operations in the sector from southern Florida to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. For a decade and a half she performed valuable service as a target and training ship and has helped to evaluate submarine and antisubmarine equipment and tactics.

In addition to target and training duty for the Fleet Sonar School at Key West, the submarine has participated in various fleet operations. In 1965, from 7 March to 4 April, "T-2" joined her sister ship, "T-1" (now "Mackerel"), "Amberjack" (SS-522), "Batfish" (SS-310), and "Chivo" (SS-341), along with a task force under Commander, Mine Force, in participating in mine warfare maneuvers. 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 NSIA demonstration.

From 1963 she performed mainly target duty for both surface and air antisubmarine units out of Key West.

"Marlin" and her sister "Mackerel" (SST-1) were decommissioned on 31 January 1973, in a dual ceremony at the Naval Station, Key West, Florida; both were struck from the Naval Vessel Register on the same day. "Marlin" was put on display as a memorial submarine in Freedom Park at the Greater Omaha Marina at 2000 North 25th Street, in Omaha, Nebraska.

References

*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/m5/marlin-ii.htm