USS Proteus ( AS - 19 ) The third USS " Proteus " ( AS - 19 ) was a in the United States Navy . " Proteus " was laid down by the Moore Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company , Oakland , California , 15 September 1941 ; launched 12 November 1942 ; sponsored by Mrs . Charles M . Cooke , Jr . ; and commissioned 31 January 1944 , Capt . Robert W . Berry in command . Service history . 1944 – 1959 . After shakedown off San Diego , she stood out of San Francisco 19 March for Midway to tend submarines of Submarine Squadron 20 . She arrived 3 May , and operating there until 1 December completed 51 voyage repairs and 14 refits for submarines . 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 . Assigned 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 . 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 . 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 from " Proteus " s signal bridge . Also assigned to repair Japanese submarines , she remained until 1 November , when she headed home . Transiting the Panama Canal on 6 December , she reached New London 16 December . 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 . Decommissioned and placed in service 26 September 1947 , she provided vital service to the submarine base at New London until January 1959 . On the 15th she entered Charleston Naval Shipyard for conversion to a tender for the Polaris Fleet Ballistic Missile submarines , including the addition of a 44 - foot section amidships . 1960 – 1992 . " Proteus " recommissioned 8 July 1960 , and after shakedown at Guantanamo Bay , she accomplished her first SSBN refit 20 January – 21 February at New London . She then crossed to Holy Loch , Scotland , arriving 3 March 1961 . There for the next two years she completed 38 refits of Fleet Ballistic Missile submarines , for which she received the Navy Unit Commendation . Back at Charleston for overhaul in 1963 , on 2 January 1964 she resumed operations at Holy Loch to provide support and refits to the Fleet Ballistic Missile submarines of Submarine Squadron 14 . On 24 February " Proteus " arrived at Rota , Spain , to establish the second overseas replenishment site for Fleet Ballistic Missile submarines , returning to Holy Loch 12 April . On 29 June she put in at Charleston and on 16 October was en route to Guam . Arriving Apra Harbor 29 November , she established the third overseas replenishment site for the Fleet Ballistic Missile submarines . She continued to operate at Apra Harbor and in the Pacific for the next seven years , taking a five - month time off for self - overhaul in 1968 - relieved by . In 1971 , after a brief R & R visit to Pearl Harbor , " Proteus " proceeded to Mare Island for an extensive overhaul , including a significant propulsion upgrade . A boiler accident forced her to stay at Ford Island , Hawaii for two months then a shake - down was accomplished out of Pearl Harbor , and after an R & R port call to Sydney Australia , " Proteus " returned to Apra Harbor for the now routine exchange with " Hunley " . The exchange was completed by mid - January , 1973 , and " Proteus " resumed her duties . In 1974 personnel from SRF , Guam , removed the remaining 5 - inch gun turret and munitions were removed as unnecessary for her primary mission - leaving only the four 20mm mounts as her main defensive weapons . When Saigon fell in 1975 , thousands of Vietnamese fled their country , and many made the crossing to Guam - some 100 , 000 of them . In a massive undertaking called " Operation New Life " - every able - bodied individual who could be spared was " volunteered " to help provide facilities to care for this " tidal wave " of humanity . As part of that effort - over 1 , 000 officers and men from " Proteus " worked with Seabee construction personnel to erect the refugee city " Tent City " on Orote Point , Guam - leaving only a hand - picked skeleton crew of individuals aboard to see to her safety and security ; as well as handle emergencies from the boats that were in . But for that week , " Proteus " was out of " business as usual " - for which the Secretary of the Navy awarded " Proteus " her second Meritorious Unit Commendation in 1975 ; and she ( along with other participating Navy Units ) were awarded the first award of the Navy Humanitarian Service Medal ( established by Executive Order January 1977 for actions beginning 1 April 1975 ) . In 1976 " Proteus " received her third consecutive Engineering " E " and second Humanitarian Medal for Typhoon Pamela Disaster Relief ; and the Battle Efficiency " E " in 1978 . That year , " Proteus " was sent to overhaul at Long Beach Naval Shipyard rather than the expected retirement and decommissioning . In 1980 , " Proteus " was home - ported at Apra Harbor , Guam , where her missile silos had been deactivated and the missiles removed and converted to tender submarines . On 21 October 1981 , the Proteus was awarded the Battle " E " Efficiency . In November 1981 , " Proteus " deployed on a six month deployment to Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean . December 22 , 1981 , " Proteus " crossed the equator and received Neptunis Rex and Davy Jones aboard for Shellback ceremonies . In March 1982 while " Proteus " was still in Diego Garcia , her Majesty ' s Naval vessel docked with " Proteus " to requisition required parts before deploying to the Falkland Islands War where she was sunk on 10 May 1982 after Argentine air attack on 4 May 1982 , " Proteus " was the last friendly ship to have any contact with " Sheffield " before the sinking . " Proteus " returned to Guam May 1982 , crossing the equator a second time . " Proteus " was decommissioned again in September 1992 and soon thereafter struck from the Naval Register . 1994 – 2007 . 1994 " Proteus " was re - commissioned yet again as a Berthing Auxiliary and placed in service at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard , Bremerton , Washington . At this time " Proteus " took on the new naval designation Miscellaneous Unclassified IX - 518 . In September 1999 the ship was placed out of active service and laid up at the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay , California . Late 2007 she was towed to Esco Marine , Brownsville , Texas for scrapping ; which was completed in early 2008 .