TAYLOR-CONANT

The USS F-2 (SS-21) was an F-class submarine commissioned on June 25, 1912.  Named USS BARRACUDA when she was laid down, the ship was renamed USS F-2 in November 1911 prior to commissioning.  The submarine carried a crew of 1 officer and 21 enlisted men.  Upon entering service, USS F-2 joined the First Submarine Group, Pacific Torpedo Flotilla, and primarily operated off the Southern California Coast until moving to the Hawaiian Islands during 1914-1915.  The submarine returned to California in early 1916 to become the flagship of Division 1, Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet, and was decommissioned at Mare Island, California, in March 1922.  During her lifetime USS F-2 played an important part in developing tactics and coordinating the use of undersea craft with the fleet.  She participated in surface and submerged exercises, torpedo proving practice, experiments in balancing at various depths and trained prospective crews of new submarines.

A historian, doing research concerning USS F-2, was successful in locating the son of a former crewmember who had a large number of photographs of fellow crewmembers.  The picture of LT Conant Taylor was among the photographs and carries the inscription, “CO USS F-2.”

Records reflect that LT Taylor was a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and in addition to commanding USS F-2, he was the Commanding Officer of USS R-1 (SS-78), USS OZARK (BM-7), USS STURTEVANT (DD-240) and a graduate of the Naval War College before retiring from the Navy with the rank of Captain.  He was reportedly born on December 5, 1883, in New York, died on May 15, 1949, and is buried at River Bend Cemetery in Westerly, Rhode Island.

Submitted by CDR Roy A. Mosteller, USNR (Ret)