USS Bashaw (SS/SSK/AGSS-241), a Gato-class submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the bashaw. Between 10 March 1944 and 29 April 1945, she completed six war patrols in the Celebes, Philippine, and South China Seas during World War II. Bashaw sank three Japanese merchant vessels totaling 19,269 gross register tons as well as several small craft. She later served in the Vietnam War. Construction and commissioning Bashaw was laid down on 4 December 1942 by Electric Boat Company, Groton, Conn. She was launched on 25 July 1943, sponsored by Mrs. Florence Ives, wife of Captain Norman S. Ives (killed 2 August 1944 near Dol-de-Bretagne, France, while commanding a naval patrol), and commissioned on 25 October 1943, Lieutenant Commander Richard E. Nichols in command. Service history World War II Following shakedown training in Long Island Sound, Bashaw proceeded south to provide services for the Fleet Sound School at Key West, Florida. She ended 1943 in training off Florida. On 9 January 1944, Bashaw got underway for duty in the Pacific Ocean. She transited the Panama Canal on 14 January and exercised with the submarines and off the Panama Canal Zone before beginning a voyage to New Guinea. She reported to Commander, Task Force (TF) 72, at Milne Bay, New Guinea, on 3 March 1944. First war patrol After voyage repairs and provisioning, Bashaw and the submarine got underway on 10 March 1944 to patrol off the Palau Islands in the hope of intercepting Japanese ships trying to escape through Toagel Mlungui Pass. On the night of 21 March 1944, Bashaw conducted a surface radar attack on what she believed to be a Japanese submarine tender. Firing six torpedoes, Bashaw scored one hit, but she was unable to regain position to sink what proved to be the salvage ship . While the Japanese destroyer screened the operation, the destroyer towed the crippled ship to safety. On 13 April 1944, a U.S. Navy PB4Y-1 Liberator patrol bomber mistakenly bombed Bashaw in the Pacific Ocean west-southwest of Truk Atoll at . Bashaw submerged and avoided damage. On 27 April 1944, Bashaw attacked and damaged three Japanese trawlers with gunfire. On 10 May, she concluded her patrol with her arrival at Brisbane, Australia, for a refit. Second war patrol Bashaw got underway on 27 May 1944 for her second war patrol, assigned a patrol area in the waters