USS Adder was a 107-ton Holland-type submarine built at Elizabethport, New Jersey. She was commissioned in January 1903 as the first of the seven Plunger (later A-1) class "boats" to enter service and spent much of the rest of that year on experimental duty at the Newport, Rhode Island, Torpedo Station. During 1904-1909, Adder was part of the Reserve Torpedo Flotilla, based at Norfolk, Virginia.

In July 1909 Adder and her sister submarine, Moccasin, were loaded aboard the collier Caesar to be carried to the Philippine Islands. Arriving at Manila Bay at the beginning of October, she was placed back in commission in February 1910 for service with the Asiatic Fleet. Adder was renamed A-2 in November 1911. For the rest of the decade she mainly operated in the Manila Bay and Subic Bay areas, performing training, experimental and, during World War I, patrol duties. Formally given the hull number SS-3 in July 1920, some two months later A-2 was assigned to target service. She was stricken from the Navy list and sunk as a target in mid-January 1922.