James Griffiths & Sons, Inc., was a shipping and shipbuilding company that operated from 1885 to at least 1948 in the U.S. state of Washington.

History The company was founded in Seattle, Washington, by James Griffiths (1861–1943), a native of Newport, Wales, where he was a captain of a ship. He started as an agent for NYK Line of Japan. Griffiths ran the company with his sons Stanley and Bert.

In 1916, James Griffiths purchased Winslow Marine Railway and Shipbuilding Company, a Puget Sound shipyard on Bainbridge Island.

In 1936, Griffiths & Sons and the Olympic Steamship Company formed the Consolidated Olympic Company. The new venture leased vessels to provide service on the Olympic-Griffiths Line, a shipping route between Long Beach, California, and Seattle and Tacoma, Washington. Common freight was lumber and newsprint.The Liberty Ships of World War II, By Greg H. Williams

During World War II, the Winslow shipyard built s and s for the U.S. Navy. The company also operated Liberty ships and Victory ships for the United States Shipping Board and charter shipping with the Maritime Commission and War Shipping Administration. The company provided the crews, while Navy Armed Guards manned the deck guns and radio.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

In 1947, Consolidated Olympic acquired the SS Olympic Pioneer, a 7,216-ton former Liberty ship. In 1948, Griffiths the sold the shipyard.

Ships

Owned Olympic Pioneer. Built in 1944 as Liberty ship James A. Drain, acquired in 1947, sold in 1962. Griffson. Cargo, 2,259 tons built in 1916, built by Winslow Marine Railway & Shipbuilding Company Anyox, Cargo, 1,287 tons built in 1917, built by Winslow Marine Railway & Shipbuilding Company Sueja III, Yacht, 179 tons, built in 1926, built by Winslow Marine Railway & Shipbuilding Company, renamed Salvage Queen in 1941, renamed Sheng-Li in 1946, burned on the Whangpoo River in 1948

Operated

Liberty ships Edmond Mallett Edward A. MacDowell Nicholas J. Sinnott Rufus W. Peckham William Cullen Bryant

Victory ships Douglas Victory

Ships built Built at the Winslow shipyard from 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 NE 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

World War II United States Merchant Navy

References