USS Holland (AS-3)
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| History | |
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| Name: | USS Holland |
| Builder: | Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington |
| Launched: | 12 April 1926 |
| Decommissioned: | 21 March 1947 |
| Reclassified: | ARG-18, 30 August 1945 |
| Struck: | 18 June 1952 |
| Honors and awards: |
2 battle stars and Navy Unit Commendation (World War II) |
| Fate: | Sold for scrap, 3 October 1953 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Submarine tender |
| Displacement: | |
| Length: | 483 ft 8 in (147.42 m) |
| Beam: | 61 ft 1 in (18.62 m) |
| Draft: | 16 ft 9 in (5.11 m) |
| Installed power: | 7,000 shp (5,220 kW) |
| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: | 16 kn (30 km/h; 18 mph) |
| Complement: | 388 |
| Armament: |
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USS Holland (AS-3) was a submarine tender that served in the United States Navy before and during World War II.
Holland was launched by the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington on 12 April 1926, sponsored by Miss Elizabeth Saunders Chase, daughter of Admiral J. V. Chase, and commissioned on 1 June, Comdr. John B. Earle in command.
Holland arrived in San Francisco from Puget Sound 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, California, 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 W. L. Friedell.
In addition to being the flagship of Submarine Division 12, Holland temporarily served as Submarine Force Flagship (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, Philippines, 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, Captain C.Q. Wright took command and 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.
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