- USS Conserver (ARS-39)
USS Conserver (ARS-39) was an "Bolster"-class
rescue and salvage ship acquired by theU.S. Navy duringWorld War II . Her task was to come to the aid of stricken vessels."Conserver" was launched
27 January 1945 byBasalt Rock Corp.,Napa, California ; sponsored by Mrs. H. Price; and commissioned9 June 1945 at SouthVallejo, California , Lieutenant C. H. Rocklidge,USNR , in command.End-of-World War II operations
"Conserver" arrived at Sasebo,
Japan ,21 September 1945 , and until3 March 1946 , she carried out salvage operations at Sasebo,Okinawa ,Yokosuka , Aomori, andHakodate in support of the occupation.Participation in nuclear testing
After preparations at
Pearl Harbor , "Conserver" arrived atBikini Atoll 29 March . She served in theMarshall Islands , aiding inOperation Crossroads , the atomic weapons tests of 1946, until2 September 1947 , when she arrived atManila for duty in thePhilippines . From9 April 1948 to26 September , she served inHawaii an waters, and then inAlaska n waters, returning toPearl Harbor 13 January 1949 .Korean War era operations
From Pearl Harbor, "Conserver" returned to operate off
Alaska between14 April 1949 and7 June , and from10 December to25 March 1950 . With the outbreak of theKorean war , she arrived atYokosuka 15 July , and between15 July and1 August carried out salvage and diving assignments in Korean waters. After a brief overhaul atYokosuka , she salvaged a fuel pipeline atIwo Jima , and from10 September until24 December returned to Korean waters.After a final towing voyage from
Japan toKorea in January 1951, "Conserver" returned to local operations at Pearl Harbor from16 February to28 May . After salvage duty atKwajalein andMajuro , she returned to Pearl Harbor to prepare for her second tour of duty in theKorean War . She arrived at Sasebo27 September , and operated primarily in Korean waters until7 May 1952 , when she cleared forSan Diego, California . After operating on theU.S. West Coast until4 August 1952 , "Conserver" sailed for brief duty at Pearl Harbor,Kwajalein ,Guam ,Subic Bay ,Bangkok ,Singapore , andSangley Point , returning to Pearl Harbor22 October . On6 April 1953 , she returned to Sasebo for duty in Korean waters until9 November , when she cleared for Pearl Harbor.Post-Korean War activity
From the close of the Korean war through 1960, "Conserver" alternated operations in the
Hawaiian Islands with occasional towing and salvage duty in Pacific islands and tours of duty in theFar East in 1954, 1955, 1955-56, 1957, 1958-59, 1959, and 1960. Between20 September 1958 and20 October , she gave salvage and towing service offTaiwan as American ships stood by during theQuemoy Crisis.Decommissioning
"Conserver" was decommissioned and struck from the
Naval Register 1 April 1994 . She was laid up in theInactive Ship Maintenance Facility , Pearl Harbor,Hawaii . Final Disposition, "Conserver" was sunk as a SINKEX target on or about13 November 2004 in the Hawaii area.Military awards and honors
"Conserver" received nine
battle stars forKorean war service:
* North Korean Aggression
* Communist China Aggression
* Inchon Landing
* First UN Counter Offensive
* UN Summer-Fall Offensive
* Second Korean Winter
* Third Korean Winter
* Korea, Summer-Fall 1953She received the followingcampaign stars for theVietnam War :
* Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II
* Tet Counteroffensive
* Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV
* Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V
* Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969
* Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VIIHer crew was eligible for the following medals, ribbons, and commendations:
*Secretary of the Navy Letter of Commendation
*Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
*Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (4)
*China Service Medal
*American Campaign Medal
*Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
*World War II Victory Medal
*Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
*National Defense Service Medal (2)
*Korean Service Medal (8)
*Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Taiwan Straits)
*Vietnam Service Medal (6)
*Sea Service Deployment Ribbon
*Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation
*United Nations Service Medal
*Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
*Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)References
External links
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