Service history
In early October, Aegir reported to New London, Connecticut for shakedown. On 23 October, the tender got underway for Pearl Harbor via the Panama Canal and San Diego. She reached Hawaii on 18 November and was assigned to Submarine Squadron 24 (SubRon 24). Aegir traveled to Midway later that month. She remained stationed at that island until 1 September 1945. During this period, Aegir furnished refitting and tender services to the submarines of SubRon 24.
Aegir returned to the west coast of the United States on 11 September and was moored at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard. There, she furnished services to submarines awaiting decommissioning. Aegir was placed out of commission, in reserve, at Mare Island on 18 October 1946. Then in 1960 used as a maintenance ship at San Diego PacResFlt and then returned to Mare Island Naval Shipyard and remained there until her name was struck from the Navy list on 1 June 1971. The ship was sold on 16 May 1972 to National Metal and Steel at Terminal Island, California, and scrapped.
The Mare Island Naval Shipyard (MINSY) was the first United States Navy base established on the Pacific Ocean. It is located 25 miles (40 km) northeast of San Francisco in Vallejo, California. The Napa River goes through the Mare Island Strait and separates the peninsula shipyard from the main portion of the city of Vallejo. MINSY made a name for itself as the premier U.S. West Coast submarine port as well as serving as the controlling force in San Francisco Bay Area shipbuilding efforts during World War II.
The third USS Proteus (AS-19) was a Fulton-class submarine tender in the United States Navy.
USS Skipjack (SS-184), was a Salmon-class submarine, the second ship of the United States Navy to be named after the skipjack tuna. She earned multiple battle stars during World War II and then was sunk, remarkably, by an atomic bomb during post-World War II testing in Operation Crossroads. Among the most "thoroughly sunk" ships, she was refloated and then sunk a second time as a target ship two years later.
USS Archerfish (SS/AGSS-311) was a Balao-class submarine. She was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the archerfish. Archerfish is best known for sinking the Japanese aircraft carrier Shinano in November 1944, the largest warship ever sunk by a submarine. For this achievement, she received a Presidential Unit Citation after World War II.
USS Spinax (SS/SSR-489), a Tench-class submarine, was the only ship of the United States Navy named after the spinax, one of the spiny sharks scientifically known as Squalidal. Her keel was laid down on 14 May 1945 by the Portsmouth Navy Yard. She was launched on 25 November 1945 sponsored by Mrs. Tom C. Clark, and commissioned on 20 September 1946.
USS Bashaw (SS/SSK/AGSS-241), a Gato-class submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the bashaw. Between 10 March 1944 and 29 April 1945, she completed six war patrols in the Celebes, Philippine, and South China Seas during World War II. Bashaw sank three Japanese merchant vessels totaling 19,269 gross register tons as well as several small craft. She later served in the Vietnam War.
USS Raton (SS/SSR/AGSS-270), a Gato-class submarine, was a ship of the United States Navy named for the raton, a polynemoid fish inhabiting semitropical waters off the Pacific coast of the Americas.
USS Apollo (AS-25) was an Aegir-class submarine tender in the United States Navy.
USS Altair (AD-11) was the lead ship of a class of three United States Navy destroyer tenders. She was named for Altair, the brightest star in the constellation Aquila, and was in commission from 1921 to 1946, seeing service during World War II.
USS Nereus (AS-17) was a Fulton-class submarine tender in service with the United States Navy from 1945 to 1971. She was scrapped in 2012.
USS Beaver (AS-5) was a submarine tender which served in the United States Navy from 1918 to 1946.
USS Butternut (AN-9/YN-4/ANL-9/YAG-60) was laid down as a yard net tender on 11 March 1941 at Houghton, Washington, by the Lake Washington Shipyard; launched on 10 May 1941; and placed in service at the Puget Sound Navy Yard on 3 September 1941.
USS Fulton (AS-11) was the leader of her class of seven submarine tenders, launched on 27 December 1940 by Mare Island Navy Yard and sponsored by Mrs. A. T. Sutcliffe, great-granddaughter of Robert Fulton. Fulton was commissioned on 12 September 1941.
USS Griffin (AS-13), originally Mormacpenn, a United States Maritime Commission Type C3 pre-war cargo ship, was launched by Sun Shipbuilding & Dry Dock, Chester, Pennsylvania, 11 October 1939. She served briefly with Moore-McConnack, Inc., was acquired by the Navy in 1940, renamed Griffin (AS-13) and converted to a submarine tender at Robbins Dry Dock and Repair Company, Brooklyn, N.Y. Griffin commissioned 31 July 1941.
USS Pelias (AS–14) was a Griffin-class submarine tender in service with the United States Navy from 1941 to 1970.
USS Bushnell (AS-15) was a Fulton-class submarine tender in service with the United States Navy from 1943 to 1948 and from 1952 to 1970. She was finally sunk as a target ship in 1983.
USS Anthedon (AS-24) was an Aegir-class submarine tender of the United States Navy during World War II.
USS Wiseman (DE-667) was a Buckley-class destroyer escort in service with the United States Navy for several periods between 1944 and 1973. She was scrapped in 1974.
USS Buckthorn (YN-9/AN-14) was an Aloe-class net laying ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Originally ordered as USS Dogwood (YN-3), she was renamed and renumbered to Buckthorn (YN-9) before construction began in December 1940. She was launched in March 1941, and completed in September 1941. Placed in service at that time without being commissioned, she was commissioned in December 1942, and decommissioned in August 1947. She was placed in reserve in 1947 and scrapped in 1976.
The United States Navy built permanent and temporary submarine bases around the world to maintain its fleet of submarines and serve the needs of the crews. Submarine bases are military bases that offer good fleet anchorage and are designed to refuel and resupply submarines. The peak number of US submarine bases was during World War II, as the submarine was well suited for fighting in the vast Pacific War, often in enemy waters. Many of the United States submarine bases were closed after the war.
United States
