"Five of the submarine torpedo boats herein authorized shall be built on the Pacific coast: PROVIDED, That the cost of construction on the Pacific coast does not exceed the cost of construction on the Atlantic coast plus the cost of transportation from the Atlantic to the Pacific..."

The keel of USS O-6 (SS-67) was laid down on 6 December 1916 by the Fore River Shipbuilding Company at Quincy, Massachusetts ... under a subcontract from the Electric Boat Company of New York. The submarine was christened by Mrs. Carrol Q. Wright, Junior, wife of Lieutenant Carrol Q. Wright, Junior, the first commanding officer of USS O-6, and launched on 25 November 1917. Commissioning took place at the Boston Navy Yard at Boston, Massachusetts, on 12 June 1918.

When commissioned, the O-1 Class coastal and harbor defense submarine was 172’4" in length overall; had an extreme beam of 18’; had a normal surface displacement of 521 tons, and, when in that condition, had a mean draft of 14’5". Submerged displacement was 629 tons. The submarine was of riveted construction. The designed compliment was two officers and twenty-seven enlisted men. The boat could operate safely to depths of 200 feet. The submarine was armed with four 18-inch torpedo tubes installed in the bow. Eight torpedoes were carried. One 3-inch/23 caliber deck gun was installed. The gun was stowed below the superstructure deck when not in use. The full load of diesel oil carried was 21,897 gallons, which fueled 880 designed brake horsepower diesel engines manufactured by the New London Ship and Engine Company at Groton, Connecticut, which could drive the boat at fourteen knots on the surface in a relatively calm sea. Submerged propulsion was provided by a 120-cell main storage battery ... manufactured by the Electric Storage Battery Company (EXIDE) at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ... which powered 740 designed brake horsepower main propulsion electric motors manufactured by the Electro Dynamic Company at Bayonne, New Jersey ... which turned propeller shafts ... which turned propellers ... which could drive the submarine at 10.5 knots for a short period of time when operating beneath the surface of the sea. Slower submerged speeds resulted in greater endurances before the batteries needed to be recharged by the engines and generators.

During the final months of the First World War, USS O-6 (SS-67) operated out of the Philadelphia Navy Yard at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on coastal patrol against enemy German U-boats, cruising from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to Key West, Florida.

A British merchantman fired six shots at USS O-6 on 14 July 1918, but caused no appreciable damage.

On 2 November 1918, USS O-6 departed Newport, Rhode Island, in a twenty-submarine contingent bound for service in European waters.

However, the 11 November 1918 Armistice, ending the shooting portion of the First World War, had been signed before the submarines of Submarine Division Eight reached the Azores; so, they reversed course and returned to the United States.

Following the termination of the First World War, USS O-6 was assigned to the United States Naval Submarine Base at New London/Groton, Connecticut ... and provided services to the Submarine School located there ... training officer and enlisted personnel in the many skills needed to become a proficient submariner.

USS O-6 was reclassified as a second line submarine on 25 July 1924 while stationed for a short period of time at Coco Solo in the Panama Canal Zone.

The submarine reverted to first line submarine status on 6 June 1928 ... and continued her duties as "school boat" for the Submarine School at the New London/Groton submarine base until February of 1929.

During February of 1929, USS O-6 transited to the Philadelphia Navy Yard. The submarine was decommissioned there on 9 June 1931 and placed in the reserve fleet at that navy yard.

As United States involvement in the Second World War approached, older submarines were taken out of mothballs and prepared to renew their training activities. USS O-6 recommissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 4 February 1941 and then returned to New London/Groton to train students at the Submarine School ... which she did throughout the duration of the Second World War ... which ended on 2 September 1945.

On 19 June 1941, USS O-6 made a trial run to the Portsmouth Navy Yard at Kittery, Maine. The next day, USS O-9 (SS-70) dove and failed to surface fifteen miles off Portsmouth, New Hampshire. USS O-6 joined USS O-10 (SS-71), USS Triton (SS-201), and other vessels in the search for the lost submarine ... but all was to no avail.

USS O-6 (SS-67) decommissioned at the Portsmouth Navy Yard on 11 September 1945 and was struck from the Navy Register the same day.

On 4 September 1946, the submarine was sold to John J. Duane Company of Quincy, Massachusetts. The boat was subsequently scrapped during December of 1946.

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