A trip to the Canal Zone preceded cold weather operations with SubRon 8 at NS Argentia, Newfoundland during November, after which she returned to New London. Transiting the Panama Canal on 6 December, she reached New London 16 December.
Future actors Tony Curtis – whose birth name was Bernard Schwartz – and Larry Storch were aboard Proteus at Tokyo Bay in August–September 1945 – and watched much of the formal surrender activities aboard USS Missouri from Proteus's signal bridge.Īlso assigned to repair Japanese submarines, she remained until 1 November, when she headed home. On the 28th she anchored in Sagami Wan to begin supporting Submarine Squadron 20 as it demilitarized surrendered Japanese submarines, human torpedoes, torpedo carrying boats, and suicide boats at Yokosuka and other locations in the Sagami Wan-Tokyo Bay areas. She returned to Pearl Harbor 4 December, and on 5 February got underway for Guam where she completed 4 voyage repairs and 24 refits by 7 August.Īssigned to occupation duty after the end of the war, Proteus rendezvoused with units of the 3rd Fleet and became the flagship of a 26-ship support group which steamed off the coast of Honshū until 26 August. She arrived 3 May, and operating there until 1 December completed 51 voyage repairs and 14 refits for submarines. Berry in command.Īfter shakedown off San Diego, she stood out of San Francisco 19 March for Midway to tend submarines of Submarine Squadron 20. Proteus was laid down by the Moore Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Oakland, California, 15 September 1941 launched 12 November 1942 sponsored by Mrs. USS Proteus Submarine Tender AS-19 Zippo Slim Lighter - Used: The third USS Proteus (AS-19) was a Fulton-class submarine tender in the United States Navy.