James Griffiths & Sons, Inc. was founded by Captain James Griffiths (1861-1943) in Seattle, Washington in 1885. James Griffiths was from Newport, Wales, where he was a captain of a ship. He started as an agent for NYK Line of Japan. James Griffiths ran the company with his sons: Stanley and Bert. James Griffiths & Sons, Inc. entered into a venture with the Olympic Steamship Company in 1936 to form the Consolidated Olympic Company. Consolidated Olympic Company had routes to Long Beach, California, Seattle and Tacoma, Washington, called the Olympic-Griffiths Line. The Olympic-Griffiths Line ship was the SS Olympic Pioneer was a 7,216-ton cargo ships, common freight was lumber and newsprint. Other ships operated were leased.[1]
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Shipping |
| Founded | 1885 in Seattle, Washington, United States |
Key people |
|
James Griffiths shipyard
editIn 1916 James Griffiths purchased the Puget Sound shipyard, Winslow Marine Railway and Shipbuilding Company on Bainbridge Island, Washington. During World War II, the shipyard built minesweepers: Auk-class minesweepers and Admirable-class minesweepers. In 1948 Griffiths the sold the shipyard.[2]
World War II
editJames Griffiths & Sons, Inc. fleet of ships were used to help the World War II effort. During World War II James Griffiths & Sons, Inc. operated Merchant navy ships for the United States Shipping Board. During World War II James Griffiths & Sons, Inc. was active with charter shipping with the Maritime Commission and War Shipping Administration. James Griffiths & Sons, Inc. operated Liberty ships and Victory ships for the merchant navy. The ship was run by its James Griffiths & Sons, Inc. crew and the US Navy supplied United States Navy Armed Guards to man the deck guns and radio.[3][4][5]
Ships
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James Griffiths & Sons, Inc. ships
edit- Olympic Pioneer, was Liberty ship James A. Drain, acquired in 1947, sold in 1962 [6]
- Griffson, Cargo, 2,259 tons built in 1916, built by Winslow Marine Railway & Shipbuilding Company in Winslow[7]
- Anyox, Cargo, 1,287 tons built in 1917, built by Winslow Marine Railway & Shipbuilding Company in Winslow
- Sueja III, Yacht, 179 tons, built in 1926, built by Winslow Marine Railway & Shipbuilding Company in Winslow, renamed Salvage Queen in 1941, renamed Sheng-Li in 1946, burnt Whangpoo River in 1948
Liberty ships operated
edit- Edmond Mallett [8]
- Edward A. MacDowell [8]
- Nicholas J. Sinnott [9]
- Rufus W. Peckham [10]
- William Cullen Bryant [11]
Victory ships operated
edit- Douglas Victory [12]
Ships built by Captain James Griffiths
editShips built by Captain James Griffiths 1919 to 1947:
| Ship Name | Built for | Type | Tons | Yeat Built | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reta | Felix R. Shoer | Fishing | 8 | 1919 | ||
| Griffson | Norton Clapp | Schooner | 2,259 | 1920 | ||
| Sueja III | Capt. James Griffiths | Yacht | 179 | 1926 | Renamed Mariner III | |
| Quillayute | Sound Ferry Line | Ferry | 728 | 1927 | ||
| Chahunta | Lincoln County Logging | Tug | 101 | 1928 | ||
| Brown Bear | US F&W Service | Survey Vessel | 1934 | To USN 1942 Renamed YP 197, returned 1946 | ||
| Gary Foss | Foss Launch & Tug | Tug | 63 | 1935 | ||
| A J No. 3 | Bolivar S Eqpmt. | Freight Barge | 271 | 1935 | ||
| A J No. 4 | Bolivar S Eqpmt. | Freight Barge | 271 | 1935 | ||
| A J No. 5 | Bolivar S Eqpmt. | Freight Barge | 271 | 1935 | ||
| E. B. Schley | Howe Sound Mining Co. | Tug | 46 | 1937 | ||
| Howe Sound Mining Co. | Dry Bulk Barge | 1937 | ||||
| Howe Sound Mining Co. | Dry Bulk Barge | 1937 | ||||
| Howe Sound Mining Co. | Dry Bulk Barge | 1937 | ||||
| Atlas | Ritchie Tptn. | Freight Barge | 118 | 1939 | ||
| L McN & L IX No. 11 | Bern O. Bliss | Freight Barge | 117 | 1939 | ||
| P. A. F. No. 6 | Pacific Am. Fisheries | Freight Barge | 100 | 1939 | ||
| Puget Sound NSY | Caisson | 1939 | ||||
| USS Pursuit (AM 108) | US Navy | Minesweeper | 1250d | 30-Apr-43 | Renamed AGS 17 1952, scrapped 1964 | |
| USS Requisite (AM-109) | US Navy | Minesweeper | 1250d | 7-Jun-43 | Renamed AGS 18 1952, scrapped 1964 | |
| USS Revenge (AM 110) | US Navy | Minesweeper | 1250d | 27-Jul-43 | Scrapped 1967 | |
| USS Sage (AM 111) | US Navy | Minesweeper | 1250d | 23-Aug-43 | To Mexico 1973 Renamed Hermenegildo Galeana, Renamed Matamoros (PO 117) | |
| USS Salute (AM 294) | US Navy | Minesweeper | 850d | 4-Dec-43 | Mined off Labuan and lost 1945 | |
| USS Saunter (AM 295) | US Navy | Minesweeper | 850d | 22-Jan-44 | Scrapped 1946 | |
| USS Scout (AM 296) | US Navy | Minesweeper | 850d | 3-Mar-44 | To Mexico 1963 Renamed DM 09, scrapped | |
| USS Scrimmage (AM 297) | US Navy | Minesweeper | 850d | 4-Apr-44 | Sold 1962, later cable ship Giant II, research vessel Mahi, reefed in Hawaii 1982 | |
| USS Scuffle (AM 298) | US Navy | Minesweeper | 850d | 2-May-44 | To Mexico 1963 Renamed General Felipe Xicotencatl (C 53), scrapped | |
| USS Sentry (AM 299) | US Navy | Minesweeper | 850d | 30-May-44 | To Vietnam 1962 Renamed Ky Hoa (HQ 09), scrapped | |
| USS Serene (AM-300) | US Navy | Minesweeper | 850d | 24-Jun-44 | To Vietnam 1963 Renamed Nhut Tao (HQ 10), scrapped | |
| USS Shelter (AM 301) | US Navy | Minesweeper | 850d | 9-Jul-44 | To Vietnam 1963 Renamed Chi Linh (HQ 11), scrapped | |
| USS Garland (AM-238) | US Navy | Minesweeper | 850d | 26-Aug-44 | Scrapped 1960 | |
| USS Gayety (AM-239) | US Navy | Minesweeper | 850d | 23-Sep-44 | To Vietnam 1962 Renamed Chi Lang II (HQ 08), to the Philippines 1975 Renamed Magat Salamat (PS 20) | |
| USS Hazard (AM-240) | US Navy | Minesweeper | 850d | 31-Oct-44 | Sold 1968, to Omaha NB 1971 as museum | |
| USS Hilarity (AM-241) | US Navy | Minesweeper | 850d | 27-Nov-44 | To Mexico 1962 Renamed D 2, scrapped | |
| USS Inaugural (AM-242) | US Navy | Minesweeper | 850d | 30-Dec-44 | To St. Louis MO 1968 as museum, swept from moorings and sank 1993 | |
| YTL 571 | US Navy | Yard Tug | 70d | 1945 | Sold 1974 | |
| YTL 572 | US Navy | Yard Tug | 70d | 1945 | To the Philippines 1948 | |
| YTL 573 | US Navy | Yard Tug | 70d | 1945 | To France 1951 | |
| YTL 574 | US Navy | Yard Tug | 70d | 1945 | Sold | |
| Oil Pilot | Tugs, Inc. | Tug | 55 | 1945 | ||
| Rustler | Long Beach Tugboat Co. | Tug | 51 | 1945 |
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ The Liberty Ships of World War II, By Greg H. Williams
- ^ Colton, Tim. "Winslow Marine Railway & Shipbuilding Co., Winslow WA". ShipbuildingHistory.com. Retrieved 2009-01-30.
- ^ "Sea Lane Vigilantes". www.armed-guard.com. Archived from the original on 2022-05-31. Retrieved 2022-06-26.
- ^ World War II U.S. Navy Armed Guard and World War II U.S. Merchant Marine, 2007-2014 Project Liberty Ship, Project Liberty Ship, P.O. Box 25846 Highlandtown Station, Baltimore, MD [1] Archived 2022-05-14 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ World War II United States Merchant Navy
- ^ mariners-l.co.uk/ Ships D
- ^ hhipbuildinghistory.com Winslow
- ^ a b "LibShipsE". www.mariners-l.co.uk.
- ^ "LibShipsN". www.mariners-l.co.uk.
- ^ "LibShipsR". www.mariners-l.co.uk.
- ^ "LibShipsW". www.mariners-l.co.uk.
- ^ "World War 2 Victory Ships - D - E". www.mariners-l.co.uk.