Tenders - USS Holland AS 3

United States Navy

Submarine Tenders

USS Holland AS 3

Displacement (tons)	8,100	Built / Launched	1926
Length	453' 10"	Built By	Puget Sound NavaI Shipyard, Bremerton, Wash. Co.
Beam	61' 1"	Commisioned	1926
Draft	16' 9"	Redesignated (ARG 15)	1945
Speed (rated)	16.0kts	Decommissioned	1947
Compliment	388	Disposition	Scrapped 1953

The second ship to be named for John Holland - Submarine inventor.

John Philip Holland, the man who developed the first true submarine accepted by U. S. Navy (spending 57 of his 74 years working with submersibles), was born in Liscanor, County Clare, Ireland, on 29 February 1840. As a youth he considered the use of the submarine to further the cause of Irish Independence. Holland came to the United States in 1873. In 1875 his first submarine designs were submitted for consideration by the US Navy, but turned down as unworkable.
Holland continued to improve his designs and worked on several experimental boats prior to his successful efforts with the privately built Holland launched in 1898. This was the first submarine having power to run submerged for any considerable distance. She was purchased by the Navy after rigorous tests, and six more of her type were ordered. On 12 August 1914, John Philip Holland died in Newark. N.J. The third US Navy ship named for Holland is the AS 32.

The second Holland was launched by the Puget Sound NavaI Shipyard, Bremerton, Wash., 12 April 1926, sponsored by Miss Elizabeth Saunders Chase, daughter of Admiral J. V. Chase, and commissioned 1 June, Comdr. John B. Earle in command. Holland arrived in San Francisco from Puget Sound Naval Shipyard on 24 April to become flagship of Captain J. T. Thompkins, Commander Submarine Divisions, Battle Fleet.

On 24 September she was permanently assigned to base at San Diego, Calif., tending submarine divisions there with periodic tours to Panama to service submarines based at the Canal Zone. On 5 November 1930 Holland became flagship of Captain Chester W. Nimitz, Commander Submarine Divisions, Battle Fleet with additional duty as Commander of Submarine Division 20. The former command was abolished as of 1 April 1931 and Captain Nimitz retained his flag in Holland as Commander, of his submarine division, now designated Submarine Division 12. He left Holland on 17 June, relieved by Captain V. L. Friedell. In addition to being the flagship of Submarine Division 12,

Holland temporarily served as Submarine Force Flag ship (March-July 1933). In June 1935 she became joint flagship of Submarine Squadron 6 and Submarine Division 12. This duty continued until June 1941 when she became flagship of Submarine Squadron 2.

On 22 November 1941 Holland arrived at Cavite Naval Base, P.I., to service submarines of the Asiatic Fleet. Due to the air raids in early December 1941, Holland was hurried out of Manila Bay under cover of night with her vital cargo of repair and replacement parts for submarines of the Asiatic Fleet. Heading south, she escaped unscathed from two air raids while at Balikpapan, Borneo, then repaired a battle-damaged submarine at Soerabaja, Java where she was joined by two destroyers that gave her escort to Port Darwin, Australia, which she reached on 2 January 1942 for round-the-clock operations which included the building of docks and floats as well as the constant repair and equipping of ships as well as submarines. On 3 February she was underway for Tjilaljap, Java, to remove Rear Admiral Charles A. Lockwood, Jr., and his Asiatic Fleet Submarine Force Staff to Australia. Her outstanding service to the Fleet during the first crucial months of the war brought Holland a Navy Unit Commendation. While based in Australia, Holland serviced and overhauled several submarines before returning for overhaul at Mare Island Navy Yard in late February 1943.

USS Holland AS 3 in 1943.
Notice the radical change above the main deck - including added guns.

She reached Pearl Harbor from the West Coast in June and completed 22 refits and 13 repair jobs for submarines within the next 11 months. She shifted to Midway Atoll on 1 June 1944 and sailed the following month directly to support submarines in the Marianas Islands. Holland returned to Pearl Harbor late in November to be fitted out as headquarters ship for Vice Admiral Charles A. Lockwood, Jr., Commander Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet. In January 1945 she steamed out of Pearl Harbor for Guam where she embarked Vice Admiral Lockwood. By the close of hostilities, Holland had given 55 Instances of refit to submarines, provided repair and service to 20 surface craft and completed various jobs on shore installations. Vice Admiral Lockwood shifted his Submarine Force Flag ashore to his new quarters on Coconut Island in Apra Harbor on 30 August 1945, setting up operations and communications for the work ahead.

Post card cancelled 11/21/1944 San Diego
Though not identified, certainly appears to be the Holland
as she was outfitted in the late twenties and early thirties.

This left Holland ready to begin a new career as a repair ship (ARG-18). Her value to the submarine force had diminished with the commissioning of many new and modern tenders better to carry on the job of keeping our submarines in condition for their assaults against the enemy. With a few alterations she headed for Buckner Bay, Okinawa, where she embarked Rear Admiral Allen E. Smith, Commander of Service Squadron 10 and his staff before proceeding for Tokyo Bay where she dropped anchor on 29 September 1945. Holland set course 6 June 1946 by way of Pearl Harbor for San Diego where she arrived on 25 June. She shifted to San Pedro for inactivation overhaul in the Terminal Island Navy Yard, then was towed to San Diego where she was decommissioned on 21 March 1947 She was as- signed to the San Diego, Calif., group of the Pacific Reserve Fleet until her name was struck from the Navy Register on 18 June 1952. Her hull was sold for scrapping on 3 October 1953 to the Bethlehem Steel Co.
Holland earned two battle stars and the Navy Unit Commendation for World War II service.

{History from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships}

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