| Navy | The US Navy |
| Type | Submarine tender |
| Class | [No specific class] |
| Pennant | AS 20 |
| Built by | Federal Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. (Kearny, New Jersey, U.S.A.) |
| Ordered | |
| Laid down | 3 Jun 1940 |
| Launched | 2 Nov 1940 |
| Commissioned | 19 Mar 1941 |
| End service | 20 Aug 1946 |
| History | Displacement: 5775 BRT Acquired by the USN on 1 March 1941 and converted to a submarine tender |
Commands listed for USS Otus (AS 20)
Please note that we're still working on this section
and that we only list Commanding Officers for the duration of the Second World War.
| Commander | From | To | |
| 1 | Lt.Cdr. Joel Newsom, USN | 19 Mar 1941 | 27 Sep 1943 (1) |
| 2 | T/Cdr. Lloyd Dallas Follmer, USN | 27 Sep 1943 | Jan 1945 |
| 3 | T/Capt. George Thomas Boldizsar, USN | Jan 1945 | 1 Apr 1946 |
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Notable events involving Otus include:
12 Mar 1942
At 0815H/12, USS Searaven (Lt.Cdr. T.C. Aylward, USN) arrived at Fremantle from patrol. She is then taken in hand for a tender refit initially by USS Holland (T/Capt. J.W. Gregory, USN) but later by USS Otus (Cdr. J. Newsom, USN). (2)
19 Mar 1942
At dawn, USS Sailfish (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Voge, USN) ended her 3th war patrol at Fremantle, Australia.
She was then taken in hand for a tender refit by USS Otus (Cdr. J. Newsom, USN). Following the refit a short training period followed. (3)
4 Mar 1943
Around 0840L/4, the submarine tender USS Otus (Cdr. J. Newsom, USN) departed Melbourne for Fremantle. She was escorted by the light cruiser HMAS Adelaide (A/Capt. J.C.D. Esdaile, OBE, RAN).
Around 0645I/9, the destroyer HrMs Van Galen (Lt.Cdr. F.T. Burghard, RNethN) joined as A/S escort. (4)
9 Mar 1943
Around 1315I/9, USS Otus (Cdr. J. Newsom, USN), HMAS Adelaide (A/Capt. J.C.D. Esdaile, OBE, RAN) and HrMs Van Galen (Lt.Cdr. F.T. Burghard, RNethN) arrived at Fremantle. (5)
23 Jun 1943
Around 1700H/23, the submarine tender USS Otus (Cdr. J. Newsom, USN) departed Fremantle for Sydney. She was escorted by the destroyer HrMs Tjerk Hiddes (Lt.Cdr. W.J. Kruys, RNethN). (6)
1 Jul 1943
Around 1500K/1, the submarine tender USS Otus (Cdr. J. Newsom, USN) and her escort, the destroyer HrMs Tjerk Hiddes (Lt.Cdr. W.J. Kruys, RNethN), arrived at Sydney from Fremantle. (7)
1 Sep 1943
Around 2030K/1, HMAS Stuart (Lt.Cdr. N.A. Mackinnon, RAN) departed Brisbane escorting the submarine tender USS Otus (Cdr. J. Newsom, USN) towards the vicinity of Lady Elliot Island.
They parted company around 1830K/2. (8)
Sources
- http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/o5/otus.htm
- Patrol report of USS Searaven for her 2nd war patrol
- Patrol report of USS Sailfish for her 3rd war patrol
- Report of proceedings of HMAS Adelaide for March 1943
- Report of proceedings of HMAS Adelaide for March 1943 + File 2.12.03.1613 (Dutch Archives, The Hague, Netherlands)
- War diary of USS Otus for June 1943 + File 2.12.03.2100 (Dutch Archives, The Hague, Netherlands)
- War diary of USS Otus for July 1943 + File 2.12.03.2100 (Dutch Archives, The Hague, Netherlands)
- Report of proceedings of HMAS Stuart for September 1943