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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
901 M STREET SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Prometheus (Collier # 2, AC-2; later Repair Ship # 3, AR-3), 1910-1946.

USS Prometheus, a 8940-ton repair ship, was built at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, as a collier. She was commissioned with a civilian crew in January 1910 and carried coal for the fleet until 1913, when she began conversion to a repair ship.

Recommissioned in December 1914, Prometheus briefly served in the Pacific and then went to the Atlantic Fleet. During World War I, she was stationed at Bermuda and at Brest, France. Returning to the U.S. in 1919, Prometheus supported Navy ships in the Atlantic until early 1923. She then transferred to the Pacific coast and, after over a year of operations there, was placed in reserve at the Puget Sound Navy Yard.

Prometheus was laid up from 1924 until mid-1942, when she recommissioned for World War II service. She was deployed to the southwest Pacific until September 1944, then spent the rest of the War servicing the fleet in the central Pacific and the Philippines. In the early Post-War months, Prometheus moved to Okinawa and to Hong Kong before returning to the U.S. Decommissioned in July 1946 and turned over to the Maritime Commission soon thereafter, Prometheus was sold for scrapping in August 1950.

This page features overall views of USS Prometheus.

For views on board this ship in about 1919-20, see: USS Prometheus Onboard and Closeup Views; and USS Prometheus Workshop Scenes.

If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: NH 44050

USS Prometheus (AC-2)


Off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, on 15 April 1910.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 56KB; 585 x 765 pixels

 

Photo #: NH 70617

USS Prometheus (AC-2)


Anchored off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 8 April 1910.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 53KB; 740 x 600 pixels

 

Photo #: NH 70616

USS Prometheus (AC-2)


Anchored in mid-stream off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, on 8 April 1910.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 47KB; 740 x 610 pixels

 

Photo #: NH 50271

USS Prometheus (AR-3)


In Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, January 1920. Several battleships are in the background.
The original print incorrectly identifies this ship as USS Vestal (AR-4).

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

 

Photo #: 19-N-24258

USS Prometheus (AR-3)


Laid up at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, while being reconditioned for a return to active service, 3 June 1941.
Note shields for 5"/38 single gun mounts on pier. Foremast and bridge of USS Utah (AG-16) is visible in the right middle distance.

Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

Online Image: 85KB; 740 x 610 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 

Photo #: 19-N-24252

USS Prometheus (AR-3)


Laid up at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, while being reconditioned prior to her return to active service, 3 June 1941.
Note bicycle and truck on pier. Bow of USS Utah (AG-16) is in left background, with barge YF-88 immediately ahead.

Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

Online Image: 88KB; 740 x 615 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 

Photo #: 19-N-24256

USS Prometheus (AR-3)


Laid up at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, during reconditioning for return to active service, 3 June 1941.
Crane barge YSD-15 is beyond her stern.

Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

Online Image: 74KB; 740 x 590 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 

Photo #: 80-G-36088

Guadalcanal Campaign, 1942-43


USS South Dakota (BB-57) and two destroyers alongside USS Prometheus (AR-3) for repairs, probably at Noumea, New Caledonia, in November 1942.
The inboard destroyer, with the distorted bow, is probably USS Mahan (DD-364), which was damaged in a collision with South Dakota at the close of the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands on 27 October 1942.
South Dakota received damage in both that battle and in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal on 15 November 1942.
The other destroyer may be USS Lamson (DD-367).

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 92KB; 740 x 615 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 

For views on board this ship in about 1919-20, see: USS Prometheus Onboard and Closeup Views; and USS Prometheus Workshop Scenes.

Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

24 November 1998