Lewes Delaware Submarine Viper Cape Henlopen Early 20th Century Real Photo Postcard
The U.S. submarine Viper, originally commissioned as USS Cuttlefish (SS-2) in 1907, was a B-class submarine, representing an early stage in the development of the United States Navy's underwater fleet. Its stranding at Cape Henlopen on August 8, 1911, occurred when a strong current carried the vessel onto a shoal, marking a notable incident in the operational history of these nascent submarines.
Cape Henlopen, located at the mouth of the Delaware Bay, has long been a strategic navigational point for maritime traffic along the Atlantic coast. The grounding of the Viper underscored the inherent challenges and navigational risks faced by submarines of this era, which were still rudimentary in design and operation. The submarine was successfully refloated after a day and continued its service until decommissioned in 1919.
Cape Henlopen, located at the mouth of the Delaware Bay, has long been a strategic navigational point for maritime traffic along the Atlantic coast. The grounding of the Viper underscored the inherent challenges and navigational risks faced by submarines of this era, which were still rudimentary in design and operation. The submarine was successfully refloated after a day and continued its service until decommissioned in 1919.
