The USS Shark (SS-1) was the first submarine of the United States Navy, commissioned in 1900. Designed by the inventor John Philip Holland, it was a pioneering vessel in underwater warfare. The Shark was a small, 75-foot-long submarine powered by a gasoline engine on the surface and a battery-powered electric motor when submerged. The Shark had a displacement of about 100 tons and could carry a crew of up to 8 men. Although it was not used in combat, it played a significant role in the development of future submarines and naval tactics, paving the way for later classes like the USS Nautilus.