Rescue and salvage ship

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Rescue and salvage ships (hull classification symbol ARS) are a type of military salvage tug. [1] They are tasked with coming to the aid of stricken vessels. Their general mission capabilities include combat salvage, lifting, towing, retraction of grounded vessels, off-ship firefighting, and manned diving operations. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] They were common during World War II.

Contents

List of rescue and salvage ships of the United States Navy by class

The following ship classes have been designated under the ARS hull classification symbol in United States Navy Service.

Lapwing-class minesweeper conversions

The Lapwing-class salvage ship USS Discoverer (ARS-3) as USC&GS Discoverer c. 1935 USS Discoverer (ARS-3).jpg
The Lapwing-class salvage ship USS Discoverer (ARS-3) as USC&GS Discoverer c. 1935

The earliest designated United States Navy salvage ships (ARS) were converted Lapwing-class minesweepers. Ships of this type were operated by the United States Navy as salvage ships from June 1941 until USS Viking was decommissioned and scrapped in 1953.

Diver class

The Diver-class salvage ship USS Safeguard (ARS-25) USS Safeguard (ARS-25).jpg
The Diver-class salvage ship USS Safeguard (ARS-25)

The United States Navy operated Diver-class rescue and salvage ships (ARS) from October 1943 until the last example was decommissioned in July 1979. Several ships of this class were converted to other uses, and USS Shackle remained in service as the 213' United States Coast Guard Cutter USCGC Acushnet until March 2011. [7]

Miscellaneous civilian vessel conversions

Several ships were converted and redesignated as salvage ships (ARS) during World War II.

Anchor class

The Anchor-class rescue and salvage ship USS Restorer (ARS-17) USS Restorer (ARS-17).jpg
The Anchor-class rescue and salvage ship USS Restorer (ARS-17)

The United States Navy operated Anchor-class rescue and salvage ships (ARS) from October 1943 until March 1946.

Weight class

The Weight-class salvage ship USS Swivel (ARS-36). USS Swivel (ARS-36).jpg
The Weight-class salvage ship USS Swivel (ARS-36).

The United States Navy operated Weight-class rescue and salvage ships (ARS) from August 1943 until the last example was decommissioned in June 1946. The Weight-class ships were originally intended for delivery to the Royal Navy under different names, as part of the Lend-Lease program. However, they were instead delivered to and operated by the United States Navy.

Bolster class

The Bolster-class salvage ship USS Opportune (ARS-41) USS Opportune (ARS-41) underway on 1 November 1983 (6430328).jpg
The Bolster-class salvage ship USS Opportune (ARS-41)

Bolster-class rescue and salvage ships (ARS) were operated by the United States Navy from July 1944 until the last example was decommissioned in September 1994.

Safeguard class

The Safeguard-class salvage ship USNS Salvor (T-ARS-52) 130628-N-YU572-698.jpg
The Safeguard-class salvage ship USNS Salvor (T-ARS-52)

Safeguard-class salvage ships (T-ARS) are operated by Military Sealift Command in support of United States Navy operations. They were operated by the United States Navy as commissioned auxiliaries from November 1982 until the last example (Safeguard) was decommissioned in September 2007. [6] Two are currently in service as part of the MSC. [9]

See also

Related Research Articles

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USCGC <i>Acushnet</i> (WMEC-167) United States Coast Guard cutter

USCGC Acushnet (WMEC-167) was a cutter of the United States Coast Guard, homeported in Ketchikan, Alaska. She was originally USS Shackle (ARS-9), a Diver-class rescue and salvage ship commissioned by the United States Navy for service in World War II. She was responsible for coming to the aid of stricken vessels and received three battle stars during World War II, before a long career with the Coast Guard. Acushnet patrolled the waters of the North Pacific and was one of the last World War II era ships on active duty in the US fleet upon her retirement in 2011.

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USNS <i>Grapple</i> Rescue and salvage ship

USS Grapple (ARS-53) is a Safeguard-class rescue and salvage ship in the United States Navy. Her home port is Norfolk, Virginia. On 13 July 2006 Grapple was decommissioned from US Navy service and converted to civilian operation by Military Sealift Command. She was redesignated as USNS Grapple.

USNS <i>Safeguard</i> Lead ship of her class

USNS Safeguard (T-ARS-50), formerly USS Safeguard (ARS-50), is the lead ship of her class and the second United States Navy ship of that name.

USNS <i>Vindicator</i> Stalwart-class surveillance ship

USNS Vindicator (T-AGOS-3) was a United States Navy Stalwart-class modified tactical auxiliary general ocean surveillance ship that was in service from 1984 to 1993. Vindicator then served in the United States Coast Guard from 1994 to 2001 as the medium endurance cutter USCGC Vindicator (WMEC-3). From 2004 to 2020, she was in commission in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) fleet as the oceanographic research ship NOAAS Hiʻialakai.

USS <i>Lipan</i> Tugboat of the United States Navy

USS Lipan (AT-85) was a Navajo-class fleet tug constructed for the United States Navy during World War II. Her purpose was to aid ships, usually by towing, on the high seas or in combat or post-combat areas, plus "other duties as assigned." She served in the Pacific Ocean during World War II and the Korean War. She was awarded two battle stars for World War II and four battle stars for the Korean War.

USS <i>Escape</i>

USS Escape (ARS-6) was a Diver-class rescue and salvage ship commissioned by the United States Navy for service in World War II. She was responsible for coming to the aid of stricken vessels.

USS <i>Shackle</i>

USS Shackle (ARS-9) was a Diver-class rescue and salvage ship commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II. She was responsible for coming to the aid of stricken vessels.

USNS <i>Apache</i> Tugboat of the United States Navy

USNS Apache (T-ATF-172) was a U.S. Navy Powhatan-class fleet ocean tugboat that was operated by the Military Sealift Command (MSC) from 1981 to 2022. She spent the bulk of her career in the Atlantic and Mediterranean.

USNS <i>Mohawk</i> Tugboat of the United States Navy

USNS Mohawk (T-ATF-170) was a United States Navy Powhatan-class tugboat operated by the Military Sealift Command from 1980 to 2005.

USNS <i>Grasp</i> Safeguard-class rescue and salvage ship

USNS Grasp (T-ARS-51) is a Safeguard-class rescue and salvage ship, the second United States Navy ship of that name.

USNS <i>Sioux</i> US Navy Tugboat

USNS Sioux (T-ATF-171) was a United States Navy Powhatan-class tugboat operated by the Military Sealift Command (MSC). She was in service from 1981 to 2021 and spent the bulk of this time supporting the Pacific Fleet.

The United States Navy Combat Logistics Force (CLF), formerly the Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force (NFAF), is a subordinate component of the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command. CLF's 42 ships are the supply lines that provide virtually everything that Navy ships at sea needs to accomplish its missions, including fuel, food, ordnance, spare parts, mail and other supplies. NFAF ships enable the Navy fleet to remain at sea, on station and combat ready for extended periods of time. CLF ships also conduct towing, rescue and salvage operations or serve as floating medical facilities. All CLF ships are government owned and crewed by civil service mariners. Some of the ships also have a small contingent of Navy personnel aboard for operations support, supply coordination and helicopter operations.

<i>Safeguard</i>-class rescue and salvage ship United States Navy salvage and rescue ships

The Safeguard class is a class of Towing, Salvage and Rescue Ship under the United States Navy.

References

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships .

  1. ↑ http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/s_ARS.htm Archived 2014-07-21 at the Wayback Machine Naval Vessel Register: "SALVAGE SHIP"
  2. ↑ "USS Salvor Command History 1986" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-11-03. Retrieved 2014-01-30.
  3. ↑ "USS Grapple Command History 2002" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-11-03. Retrieved 2014-01-30.
  4. ↑ Petty, Dan. "The US Navy -- Fact File: Rescue and Salvage Ships T-ARS". www.navy.mil.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/37/37idx.htm NavSource Photo Archives: Rescue and Salvage Ship (ARS) Index
  6. 1 2 http://www.msc.navy.mil/inventory/ships.asp?ship=188 Archived 2014-02-01 at the Wayback Machine Military Sealift Command Ship Inventory: Rescue Salvage Ships
  7. ↑ http://coastguardnews.com/coast-guards-queen-of-the-fleet-shifts-acushnet-being-decommissioned/2011/03/11/ Coast Guard News: "Coast Guard's Queen of the Fleet shifts, Acushnet being decommissioned"
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 http://www.shipbuildinghistory.com/history/smallships/auxrescue.htm Archived 2014-02-19 at the Wayback Machine Salvage and Rescue Ships (ARS, ARSD, ARST, ASR, ATS)
  9. ↑ http://www.msc.navy.mil/sealift/2007/November/safeguard.htm%7C%5B%5D Sealift "USNS Safeguard joins MSC fleet"
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