- USS Pelias (AS-14)
USS "Pelias" (AS–14) was laid down as SS "Mormacyork" under
Maritime Commission contract by Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co.,Chester, Pennsylvania ,8 May 1939 ; launched14 November 1939 ; sponsored by Miss Barbara W. Vickery; and delivered to Moore-McCormick Steamship Co.,1 April 1940 . "Mormacyork" served for a short time on passenger service between ports in the United States and South America. Acquired by the Navy late in 1940, she was renamed "Pelias"9 January 1941 and converted for Navy use as a submarine tender by Bethlehem Steel Co., Brooklyn, N.Y. "Pelias" commissioned at New York5 September 1941 , Comdr. William Wakefield in command.Following shakedown off New England, "Pelias" sailed for the Pacific
9 October 1941 . Steaming viaSan Diego, California , she arrivedPearl Harbor 21 November 1941 as the tender for Submarine Squadron Six. Six days later she began sub overhauls at the Submarine Base where she was berthed during the Japanese attack7 December 1941 . During the sneak attack her guns splashed one enemy torpedo plane, and damaged a second, as they made their deadly runs along the main channel little more than 100 yards from her port side. She resumed repair duty shortly after the attack and during the early months of the war provided valuable assistance as theUnited States Pacific Fleet prepared for the long struggle for supremacy of the Pacific.After servicing almost a score of submarines at Pearl Harbor, "Pelias" steamed to
San Francisco late in May 1942 and took on spare parts, provisions, and ammunition. Departing for the Southwest Pacific22 June 1942 , she touched atMelbourne, Australia , 16 July and reachedAlbany, Australia , the 23d. Assigned to duty under Rear AdmiralCharles Lockwood , ComSubSoWesPac, she refitted the 10 submarines of Submarine Squadron 6 at Albany before shifting her base toFremantle ,Australia , 27 October. There, she relieved Holland as mother ship for the SoWesPac submarines, which pressed the attack against Japanese naval and merchant shipping. Except for brief deployments toExmouth Gulf in May 1943 and to Albany in March 1944, "Pelias" operated out of Fremantle during her Australian employment. Between July 1942 and May 1944 she overhauled, repaired, and refitted 59 submarines of Submarine Squadrons 6, 12, and 16.Ordered home in May 1944, she departed Fremantle
15 May 1944 , touched at Pearl Harbor 6 June and reached San Francisco the 15th. For more than two months she underwent overhaul atMare Island Naval Shipyard ; thence, from 10 to 18 September, she steamed to Hawaii. Engine repairs delayed her deployment to Midway, but they did not hinder her sub-tending duties. She refitted 7 subs before sailing to Midway9 January 1945 . Assigned to Submarine Squadron 32, "Pelias" completed 15 sub refits and voyage repairs during the next four months. Between 26 May and 10 June she steamed via Pearl to San Diego where she undertook the repair and decommissioning overhaul of the S class submarines of Submarine Squadron 45.Based at San Diego when hostilities ended 15 August, "Pelias" steamed to
Tiburon Bay 10 September 1941 , thence to Mare Island 24 February 1946. She was placed in commission in reserve6 September 1946 , and in service in reserve1 February 1947 . On21 March 1950 she was placed out of service in reserve, but later performed berthing ship duty at Mare Island until she decommissioned14 June 1970 .Pelias received one battle star for World War II service.
References
External links
* [http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/AS14.htm Naval Vessel Register - AS14]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/36/3614.htm NavSource.org - USS Pelias]
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