| Navy | The US Navy |
| Type | Submarine tender |
| Class | Griffin |
| Pennant | AS 13 |
| Built by | Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. (Chester, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.) |
| Ordered | |
| Laid down | 1 May 1939 |
| Launched | 11 Oct 1939 |
| Commissioned | 31 Jul 1941 |
| End service | 12 Oct 1945 |
| History | Acquired by the USN in 1940 and converted to a submarine tender |
Commands listed for USS Griffin (AS 13)
Please note that we're still working on this section
and that we only list Commanding Officers for the duration of the Second World War.
| Commander | From | To | |
| 1 | Cdr. Stanley Dexter Jupp, USN | 31 Jul 1941 | 3 Jul 1942 (1) |
| 2 | T/Capt. Wakeman Blanchard Thorp, USN | 3 Jul 1942 | Jun 1944 |
| 3 | T/Capt. John FitzPatrick Madden, USN | Jun 1944 | Apr 1945 |
| 4 | T/Cdr. Thomas Markham Brown, USN | Apr 1945 | Sep 1945 |
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Notable events involving Griffin include:
10 Sep 1942
USS Sailfish (Lt.Cdr. J.R. Moore, USN) is to depart Brisbane for patrol. While backing away from the dock her port screw was fouled and while getting back alongside her dock the starboard propeller hit the dock bending one blade. She was then unable to depart for patrol and the damaged blade was removed for repairs by divers from USS Griffin (T/Capt. W.B. Throp, USN). (2)
1 Nov 1942
Around 0900K/1, USS Sailfish (T/Cdr. J.R. Moore, USN) ended her 6th war patrol at Brisbane. At Brisbane she was initially taken in hand for a tender refit by USS Griffin (T/Capt. W.B. Throp, USN) but after about a week USS Fulton (T/Capt. E.C. Bain, USN) took over. Sailfish also spent two day in dock during which the bottom was cleaned and painted. Also one blade on the starboard propeller was renewed. (3)
20 Sep 1943
USS Sailfish (T/Cdr. W.R. Lefavour, USN) ended her 9th war patrol at Pearl Harbour. She was then taken in hand for a tender refit by USS Griffin (T/Capt. W.B. Throp, USN). She was also docked at the Pearl Harbour Navy Yard. Also a training period was carried out before she was ready for her next patrol. (4)
4 May 1944
Around 0815H/4, HMAS Adelaide (A/Capt. J.C.D. Esdaile, OBE, RAN) departed Fremantle for exercises with the submarines USS Narwhal (T/Cdr. J.C. Titus, USN), USS Bluefish (T/Cdr. C.M. Henderson, USN) and USS Raton (T/Cdr. J.W. Davis, USN).
On completion of the exercises HMAS Adelaide set course to make rendezvous with the submarine tender USS Griffin (T/Capt. W.B. Throp, USN).
Rendezvous was affected around 1330H/6 and they arrived at Fremantle around 2130H/7. (5)
3 Dec 1944
Around 0600I/3, HMAS Vendetta (Lt. G.S. Gordon, RAN) departed Sorido to make rendezvous off Scharnhorst Point [This is in approximately 05°58 S, 147°27'E] with USS Griffin (T/Capt. J.F. Madden, USN) around 1100I/5.
They arrived at Mios Woendi around 0700I/8. (6)
Sources
- http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/auxil/as13.htm
- Patrol report of USS Sailfish for her 6th war patrol
- Patrol report of USS Sailfish for her 6th war patrol + Patrol report of USS Sailfish for her 7th war patrol
- Patrol report of USS Sailfish for her 9th war patrol + Patrol report of USS Sailfish for her 10th war patrol
- Report of proceedings of HMAS Adelaide for May 1944
- Report of proceedings of HMAS Vendetta for December 1944