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USS Escape (ARS-6)
Encyclopedia
USS Escape (ARS-6) was an 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.
Escape (ARS-6) was launched 22 November 1942 by Basalt Rock Company
in Napa, California
; sponsored by Mrs. J. E. Brenner; and commissioned 20 November 1943, Lieutenant W. T. Williams in command.
, 31 December 1943 for Norfolk, Virginia
, where from 4 February she was based for general salvage and towing duties. Between 10 July and 9 September, she performed similar duties out of Bermuda
, and on 12 September, put to sea from Norfolk to rescue hurricane-disabled SS George Ade. She reached the stricken ship on the 15th, and brought her safely to port through another violent storm, in which she herself was damaged.
From 31 December 1944 to 4 June 1945, Escape again operated out of Bermuda
, during this time aiding three large ships damaged by heavy seas. On 11 August, she departed Norfolk for the Pacific Ocean
, but with the end of hostilities, her orders were changed, and after towing scows from Coco Solo
, Panama Canal Zone
, to Tampa, Florida
, she sailed to Davisville, Rhode Island
, for mooring buoys. These she laid at Jacksonville, Florida
, in October.
, 8 November 1945 to escort and later tow the Italian submarine Mameli to Taranto
. She returned to Norfolk 22 January 1946, and on 20 July 1946 was decommissioned and placed in reserve at Orange, Texas
.
, based on San Juan, Puerto Rico
.
On 26 January 1960 Escape got underway for Operation Sky Hook. While on station she was diverted to Culebra Island, Puerto Rico
, to assist (DD-938) which had gone aground.
, a United States space-flight program. She continued to give essential support to the fleet through the remainder of 1960.
On 1 September 1978, she was decommissioned and laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet
.
, James River Group, Fort Eustis, Virginia. Final disposition: Sold for scrap to Bay Bridge Enterprises in August 2009.
Diver class rescue and salvage ship
The Diver class of rescue and salvage ship were operated by the United States Navy....
rescue and salvage ship
Rescue and salvage ship
Rescue and salvage ships in the United States Navy were common during World War II. Their purpose was to come to the rescue of stricken ships, usually because of their towing ability, and to tow away ships damaged because of enemy action or engine failure....
commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. She was responsible for coming to the aid of stricken vessels.
Escape (ARS-6) was launched 22 November 1942 by Basalt Rock Company
Basalt Rock Company
Basalt Rock Company was a multifaceted industrial operation that was founded in 1920. The company started as a rock quarrying operation located a few miles south of Napa, California near the Napa River. It later branched out into the ship building business in 1941 when it started building ships...
in Napa, California
Napa, California
-History:The name Napa was probably derived from the name given to a southern Nappan village whose people shared the area with elk, deer, grizzlies and cougars for many centuries, according to Napa historian Kami Santiago. At the time of the first recorded exploration into Napa Valley in 1823, the...
; sponsored by Mrs. J. E. Brenner; and commissioned 20 November 1943, Lieutenant W. T. Williams in command.
World War II service
Escape sailed from San Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, 31 December 1943 for Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, where from 4 February she was based for general salvage and towing duties. Between 10 July and 9 September, she performed similar duties out of Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
, and on 12 September, put to sea from Norfolk to rescue hurricane-disabled SS George Ade. She reached the stricken ship on the 15th, and brought her safely to port through another violent storm, in which she herself was damaged.
From 31 December 1944 to 4 June 1945, Escape again operated out of Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
, during this time aiding three large ships damaged by heavy seas. On 11 August, she departed Norfolk for the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, but with the end of hostilities, her orders were changed, and after towing scows from Coco Solo
Coco Solo
Coco Solo was a United States Navy submarine base established in 1918 on the Atlantic Ocean side of the Panama Canal Zone, near Colón, Panama....
, Panama Canal Zone
Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
, to Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
, she sailed to Davisville, Rhode Island
Davisville, Rhode Island
Davisville, Rhode Island was the former home of the U.S. Navy SeaBees. It was located at Quonset Point on Narragansett Bay, an area now included in the town of North Kingstown. The Navy acquired the property in 1939 and built Naval Air Station Quonset Point...
, for mooring buoys. These she laid at Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, in October.
End of war in Europe
Escape sailed from Key West, FloridaKey West, Florida
Key West is a city in Monroe County, Florida, United States. The city encompasses the island of Key West, the part of Stock Island north of U.S. 1 , Sigsbee Park , Fleming Key , and Sunset Key...
, 8 November 1945 to escort and later tow the Italian submarine Mameli to Taranto
Taranto
Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base....
. She returned to Norfolk 22 January 1946, and on 20 July 1946 was decommissioned and placed in reserve at Orange, Texas
Orange, Texas
Orange is a city in Orange County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 18,643. It is the county seat of Orange County, and is the easternmost city in Texas. Located on the Sabine River at the border with Louisiana, it is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur...
.
Recommissioning during Korean War
Recommissioned 12 July 1951, Escape was homeported at Norfolk for salvage and towing services to the Fleet along the east coast, and from 1954, spent alternate years in the CaribbeanCaribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, based on San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
.
On 26 January 1960 Escape got underway for Operation Sky Hook. While on station she was diverted to Culebra Island, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, to assist (DD-938) which had gone aground.
Project Mercury
On 30 January 1960 Escape got underway to assist in Project MercuryProject Mercury
In January 1960 NASA awarded Western Electric Company a contract for the Mercury tracking network. The value of the contract was over $33 million. Also in January, McDonnell delivered the first production-type Mercury spacecraft, less than a year after award of the formal contract. On February 12,...
, a United States space-flight program. She continued to give essential support to the fleet through the remainder of 1960.
On 1 September 1978, she was decommissioned and laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet
National Defense Reserve Fleet
The National Defense Reserve Fleet consists of "mothballed" ships, mostly merchant vessels, that can be activated within 20 to 120 days to provide shipping for the United States of America during national emergencies, either military or non-military, such as commercial shipping crises.The NDRF is...
.
Transfer to Coast Guard
Escape was transferred to U.S. Coast Guard and commissioned USCGC Escape (WMEC-6), 1 September 1978. She served the Coast Guard until 29 June 1995 when she was returned to the Navy.Final decommissioning
Escape was decommissioned and returned to Naval custody, 29 June 1995. She was struck from the Naval Register, 29 June 1995 and her title was transferred to the Maritime Administration (MARAD). She was then laid up in the National Defense Reserve FleetNational Defense Reserve Fleet
The National Defense Reserve Fleet consists of "mothballed" ships, mostly merchant vessels, that can be activated within 20 to 120 days to provide shipping for the United States of America during national emergencies, either military or non-military, such as commercial shipping crises.The NDRF is...
, James River Group, Fort Eustis, Virginia. Final disposition: Sold for scrap to Bay Bridge Enterprises in August 2009.
Military awards and honors
Escape’s crew was eligible for the following medals:- American Campaign MedalAmerican Campaign MedalThe American Campaign Medal was a military decoration of the United States armed forces which was first created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt...
- World War II Victory MedalWorld War II Victory MedalThe World War II Victory Medal is a decoration of the United States military which was created by an act of Congress in July 1945. The decoration commemorates military service during World War II and is awarded to any member of the United States military, including members of the armed forces of...
- National Defense Service MedalNational Defense Service MedalThe National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...
- Armed Forces Expeditionary MedalArmed Forces Expeditionary MedalThe Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal is a military award of the United States military, which was first created in 1961 by Executive Order of President John Kennedy...
(1-Cuba, 1-Dominican Republic)
External links
- http://www.shipbuildinghistory.com/history/shipyards/4emergencysmall/basalt.htm Basalt Rock Compay Shipbuilding History