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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Pelias (AS-14)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Bravo - Charlie - Papa NBCP

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941) - American Defense Service Medal (with Fleet clasp)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal

Griffin Class Submarine Tender:

Laid down, 8 May 1939, as MV Mormacyork, a Maritime Commission type (C3) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 45), at Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock, Co., Chester, PA.

Launched, 14 November 1939

Delivered, 1 April 1940, to Moore McCormack Lines, Inc.

Acquired by the Navy, 15 November 1940, from Moore McCormack Lines, Inc.

Converted to a Submarine Tender at Bethlehem Steel Co., Brooklyn, N.Y.

Commissioned USS Pelias (AS-14), 5 September 1941, at New York. CDR. William Wakefield in command

USS Pelias was at Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941

Reduced status to In Commission in Reserve, 6 September 1946, at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA.

Reduced status to In Service in Reserve, 1 February 1947

Reduced status to Out of service in Reserve, 21 October 1950

Decommissioned, 14 June 1970, at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA.

Struck from the Naval Register, 1 August 1972

USS Pelias earned one battle star for World War II service

Transferred, 1 August 1972, to the Maritime Administration National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 18 October 1973, to American Ship Dismantlers, Inc. (PD-X-964 dated 5 September 1973) for $188,889.88. Withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet anchorage, 7 November 1973

Specifications:
Displacement 8,613 t.(lt) 14,500 t.(lim)
Length 492'
Beam 69' 6"
Draft 21' 1"
Speed 16.5 kts.

Complement

99 officers

968 enlisted

Armament

four single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount

four .50 cal machine guns

Fuel Capacity 22,000 Bbls.

Propulsion

one Busch-Sulser diesel engine

single Falk main reduction gear

six Diesel-drive 275Kw 120V/240V. D.C. Ship's Service Generators

single propeller, 8,900shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By /Source
09250872	768k	*Namesake* Pelias seized the throne of Iolcos from the rightful heir, his half-brother, Aeson, Jason's father. For his safety Jason was sent away to the Centaur Chiron. Returning as a young man, Jason was promised his inheritance if he fetched the Golden Fleece for Pelias, a seemingly impossible task. After many adventures (see Argonaut) Jason abstracted the fleece with the help of the enchantress Medea, whom he married. On their return Medea murdered Pelias, but she and Jason were driven out by Pelias’ son and had to take refuge with King Creon of Corinth. Jason bringing Pelias the Golden Fleece; a winged victory prepares to crown him with a wreath. Side A from an Apulian red-figure calyx crater., circa 340 and circa 330 BC, Louvre Museum, Paris, France.	Tommy Trampp
	114k	*USS Pelias* (AS-14)** near Mare Island Navy Yard, 15 November 1941. The rig of this class as completed consisted of three heavy goalpost masts, two of which carried AA gun positions. US National Archives, RG-19-LCM. photo # 19-N-25994, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.	Robert Hurst
	25k	*USS Pelias* (AS-14)** near Mare Island Navy Yard, 15 November 1941. The rig of this class as completed consisted of three heavy goalpost masts, two of which carried AA gun positions. US Navy photo.	Jim Kurrasch Battleship Iowa Pacific Battleship Center
	173k	*USS Pelias* (AS-14)** as seen from the troopship SS Klipfontein, 30 June 1942, while they were steaming in convoy, en route from San Francisco to Australia. Note soldiers watching, wearing old cork life jackets. US Army Signal Corps photo # SC 170428 a copy of which is now in the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command	US Naval History and Heritage Command
09361423 The Subpeona	472k	*USS Pelias* (AS-14)** crossing the line ceremony, 1 July 1942.	Brian Bingham for his father ENS. Bruce G. Bingham, USNR USS Pelias
09361422 The Subpoena	384k
09361428 The Pollywogs	84k
09361424 The Court	207k
09361425 The Beating	62k
09361426 The Horrors	69k
09361427 Shellback Certificate	397k
	1280k	Drawing, Charcoal on Paper; by LCDR. Griffith Baily Coale, USNR; 1944 At the narrow mouth of the Swan River, which flows into the Indian Ocean on Australia's western coast, is the port of Fremantle, Australia. Here tenders overhauled submarines. This picture shows the *USS Pelias* (AS-14) in the midest of her arduous duties, her people swarming over the subs, while their crews were ashore for well-earned leave. Before arriving in Fremantle the Pelias** was present during the attack on Pearl Harbor and afterwards performed seventy-five complete overhauls of the ships there. US Navy Accession #: 88-188-AN	US Naval History and Heritage Command
	84k	*USS Pelias* (AS-14) near Mare Island Navy Yard, 5 March 1944. The ship has undergone essentially the same major reconfiguration as her sister USS Griffin (AS-13). Her stacks retains its distinctive cap, which Griffin** lacked. US National Archives, RG-19-LCM. photo # 19-N-71570, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.	Robert Hurst
	371k	Bow view of *USS Pelias* (AS-14) at Mare Island Navy Yard, 21 June 1944 while undergoing repair and modification. Ships at the opposite pier are the French Frigate Cap Des Palmes (left) and USS Grand Island (PF-14)*. US Navy photo from the Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum, file name: AS 14 3724-44, 6/21/44*	Darryl Baker
	402k	Stern view of *USS Pelias* (AS-14) at Mare Island Navy Yard, 21 June 1944 while undergoing repair and modification. Ships at the opposite pier are the French Frigate Cap Des Palmes (left) and USS Grand Island (PF-14)*. US Navy photo from the Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum, file name: AS 14 3726-44, 6/21/44*	Darryl Baker
	477k	Stern view of *USS Pelias* (AS-14) at Mare Island Navy Yard, 13 August 1944 while undergoing repair and modification. YD-98 and the a small portion of YD-84 are seen at the opposite pier (south side) with the USS Vestal (AR-4)** on the north side of the pier. US Navy photo from the Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum, file name: AS 14 5204-44, 8/13/44	Darryl Baker
	321k	Bow view of *USS Pelias* (AS-14)** at Mare Island Navy Yard, 13 August 1944 while undergoing repair and modification. US Navy photo from the Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum, file name: AS 14 5205-44, 8/13/44	Darryl Baker
	212k	Stern view of *USS Pelias* (AS-14)** on trials after modifications at Mare Island Navy Yard, 25 August 1944. US Navy photo from the Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum, file name: AS 14 5417-44, 8/25/44	Darryl Baker
	250k	Bow view of *USS Pelias* (AS-14)** on trials after modifications at Mare Island Navy Yard, 25 August 1944. US Navy photo from the Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum, file name: AS 14 5421-44	Darryl Baker
	225k	Broadside view of *USS Pelias* (AS-14) on trials after modifications at Mare Island Navy Yard, 25 August 1944. Note Pelias** is painted Camouflage Measure 32, Design 10Ax. US Navy photo from the Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum, file name: AS 14 5422-44, Navy Photo, 8/25/44.	Darryl Baker
	263k	Broadside view of *USS Pelias* (AS-14)** berthed with the Mare Island Reserve Fleet in March 1946. US Navy photo from the Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum, File name: AS 14 10X1-3-46	Darryl Baker
	313k	*USS Pelias* (AS-14)** entering the reserve fleet at Mare Island, 26 August 1950. US Navy photo from the Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum, file name: AS 14 6794-8-50, 8/26/50	Darryl Baker
	220k	Overhead view of: front to back, *USS Griffin* (AS-13), USS Euryale (AS-22), USS Aegir (AS-23), and USS Pelias (AS-14)** moored in the Reserve Fleet, at Mare Island Navy Shipyard, Vallejo, CA. with 52 mothballed World War II submarines, circa 1946	Darryl Baker
	484k	*USS Pelias* (AS-14)** in full dress for Navy Day at Mare Island Reserve Fleet, 27 October 1960. US Navy photo from the Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum, file name: AS 14 493X1-10-60	Darryl Baker
	193k	Ships in reserve at Mare Island, Vallejo, CA. in 1967. From left to right: *USS Carmick* (DD-493, USS Stafford (DE-411), Unidentified Non Self-propelled Barracks Ship (APL) USS Pelias (AS-14) USS George Eastman (YAG-39)** Unidentified Destroyer or Destroyer Escort and two unidentified Self-propelled Oil Barges YOs.	©Richard Leonhardt
	885k	Mare Island Reserve Fleet, June 1967. Recognizable ships include *USS Pelias* (AS-14), USS Vanderburgh (APB-48), APL-3 (inboard of Vanderburgh), and USS Pine Island (AV-12)** in the background. Photo # MINSY 79270-9-67 TH APB 48 from the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum.	Darryl Baker
	397k	*USS Pelias* (AS-14)** in reserve at Mare Island, circa 1969.	Scott Koen
	375k	*Acania* at Mare Island Reserve Fleet, 27 June 1971 with *USS Pelias* (AS-14) is in the background. Acania** had a varied career which included service with the Coast Guard, Stanford Research Institute, DOD- Atomic Support Agency and the Navy Postgraduate School. There is no record at Navsource to indicate she was ever assigned a hull number. Photo from the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum. Also see Acania History	Darryl Baker

USS Pelias (AS-14)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	CDR. Wakefield, William, USN	5 September 1941 - 1 April 1944
02	CDR. Swanston, William Alexander, USN (USNA 1920)	1 April 1944 - 15 October 1945
03	CDR. O'Kane, Richard Hetherington, USN (USNA 1934) :RADM	1947


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S.Navy Memorial Foundation

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
MARAD Vessel History Database
Submarine Tenders of the United States Navy
Pearl Harbor Action Report

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Last Updated 31 July 2020