James Griffiths & Sons, Inc.

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James Griffiths & Sons, Inc.
Company typePrivate
IndustryShipping
Founded1885 (1885) in Seattle, Washington, United States
Key people
  • Captain James Griffiths
  • Stanley Griffiths
  • Bert Griffiths

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]

James Griffiths shipyard[edit]

In 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[edit]

James 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[edit]

A Victory ship of World War II
Liberty ship of World War II

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[edit]

Ships 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]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Liberty ships.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Victory ships.

References[edit]

  1. ^ The Liberty Ships of World War II, By Greg H. Williams
  2. ^ Colton, Tim. "Winslow Marine Railway & Shipbuilding Co., Winslow WA". ShipbuildingHistory.com. Retrieved 2009-01-30.
  3. ^ "Sea Lane Vigilantes". www.armed-guard.com.
  4. ^ 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]
  5. ^ World War II United States Merchant Navy
  6. ^ mariners-l.co.uk/ Ships D
  7. ^ hhipbuildinghistory.com Winslow
  8. ^ a b "LibShipsE". www.mariners-l.co.uk.
  9. ^ "LibShipsN". www.mariners-l.co.uk.
  10. ^ "LibShipsR". www.mariners-l.co.uk.
  11. ^ "LibShipsW". www.mariners-l.co.uk.
  12. ^ "World War 2 Victory Ships - D - E". www.mariners-l.co.uk.
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