# James Griffiths & Sons, Inc.

James Griffiths & Sons, Inc. was founded by Captain James Griffiths (1861–1943) in Seattle, Washington in 1885. James Griffiths was from Newport, Wales, where he was a captain of a ship. He started as an agent for NYK Line of Japan. James Griffiths ran the company with his sons: Stanley and Bert. James Griffiths & Sons, Inc. entered into a venture with the Olympic Steamship Company in 1936 to form the Consolidated Olympic Company. Consolidated Olympic Company had routes to Long Beach, California, Seattle and Tacoma, Washington, called the Olympic-Griffiths Line. The Olympic-Griffiths Line ship was the SS Olympic Pioneer was a 7,216-ton cargo ships, common freight was lumber and newsprint. Other ships operated were leased.

## James Griffiths shipyard

In 1916 James Griffiths purchased the Puget Sound shipyard, Winslow Marine Railway and Shipbuilding Company on Bainbridge Island, Washington. During World War II, the shipyard built minesweepers: Auk-class minesweepers and Admirable-class minesweepers. In 1948 Griffiths the sold the shipyard.

## World War II

James Griffiths & Sons, Inc. fleet of ships were used to help the World War II effort. During World War II James Griffiths & Sons, Inc. operated Merchant navy ships for the United States Shipping Board. During World War II James Griffiths & Sons, Inc. was active with charter shipping with the Maritime Commission and War Shipping Administration. James Griffiths & Sons, Inc. operated Liberty ships and Victory ships for the merchant navy. The ship was run by its James Griffiths & Sons, Inc. crew and the US Navy supplied United States Navy Armed Guards to man the deck guns and radio.

## Ships
### James Griffiths & Sons, Inc. ships

* Olympic Pioneer, was 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 in Winslow
* Anyox, Cargo, 1,287 tons built in 1917, built by Winslow Marine Railway & Shipbuilding Company in Winslow
* Sueja III, Yacht, 179 tons, built in 1926, built by Winslow Marine Railway & Shipbuilding Company in Winslow, renamed Salvage Queen in 1941, renamed Sheng-Li in 1946, burnt Whangpoo River in 1948

### Liberty ships operated

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

### Victory ships operated

* Douglas Victory

## Ships built by Captain James Griffiths

Ships built by Captain James Griffiths 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 NB 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 | |