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USS Grapple (ARS-7)
Encyclopedia
USS Grapple (ARS-7) 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.
Grapple (ARS-7) was launched by Basalt Rock Company
in Napa, California
, 31 December 1942; sponsored by Mrs. Thomas D. Rose; and commissioned 16 December 1943 at Vallejo, California
, Lt. Robert Fisher in command.
off the California
coast until 15 February 1944 when she sailed for Pearl Harbor
with barge YW-69 in tow. With three barges in tow, she departed Pearl 21 March 1944, proceeded via Majuro
and Tarawa to Espiritu Santo
, New Hebrides
, Florida Island, and Guadalcanal
.
, another step in America's sweep to victory across the Pacific. On 15 June she came under enemy attack for the first time as three Japanese
dive bombers came out of the sun in a surprise attack. Alert antiaircraft crews shot down one of them and seriously damaged another.
, staging area for the Guam
assault, on 15 July, then 6 days later was standing off Guam in support of the first wave of assault troops. Her vital salvage work at Guam included pulling stranded landing craft
off the beaches and repairing damaged ships, usually within range of enemy fire. Demolition crews from Grapple, also performed the important work of clearing the Apra Harbor
entrance of a Japanese freighter
sunk by American bombers. After the consolidation of Guam, Grapple returned to Espiritu Santo
via Eniwetok for repairs and preparation for next major assault.
at Florida Island, Grapple sailed 4 September for the initial assault phase on Peleliu
Island, Palau
s, which began 15 September. Under constant fire from enemy shore batteries, she laid small-craft mooring buoys inside Peleliu's protective reef
before being dispatched to aid (DD-689), badly damaged in a mine field. While working on the disabled destroyer
, a project which lasted over 2 weeks, Grapple also assisted a number of beached landing craft and effected temporary repairs on others.
, late the scene of one of the war's bloodiest and most decisive naval battles, for further salvage work. Four days later she sailed into Mindanao Gulf to salvage SS William Sharon, an abandoned Liberty ship
still smoldering from kamikaze
attacks. The salvage ship, with Sharon in tow, and her two destroyer escorts were attacked by Japanese fighter planes in the pre-dawn hours of 30 December, but the planes were driven off.
Grapple headed north as the invasion of the Philippines
unfolded deep into enemy held territory at Lingayen Gulf
, again in the initial assault phase. Brilliant salvage work at Lingayen Gulf from 6 January to 26 February 1945 earned Grapple and her crew the Navy Unit Citation.
and Saipan
through 7 May, distinguishing herself in fire-fighting efforts on the carrier (CV-15), hit by kamikazes on 11 March. After towing a derrick
and a lighter to Leyte
, Grapple sailed for Pearl Harbor
. On 6 June she was diverted to assist SS William Hawkins, adrift near Johnston Island; taking the merchantman in tow, she reached Hawaii
11 June, stopping only long enough to disengage her tow before continuing to Portland, Oregon
, where she docked 22 June.
, 15 May, decommissioned there 30 August 1946 and went in reserve.
, Grapple re-commissioned 26 December 1951 at San Diego, Lt. Roy Coniam in command. After training exercises, she sailed to Pearl Harbor
and from there to Japan, reaching Sasebo
8 May 1952. Five days later she sailed for Korea
and joined British units of the United Nations
Fleet off Daido Ko 17 May. Later she sailed to Ullong Do and was temporarily converted into a floating laboratory as Navy doctors frantically tried to stem a typhoid epidemic sweeping the peninsula
.
n coast, patrolling at night to thwart enemy sampans laying mines in the shallows. While at anchor near Wonsan
12 August, Grapple came under heavy fire from shore batteries, and before she could clear the area was hit just below the water line. Her damage control party removed the unexploded projectile and patched up the 6" by 15" hole.
9 December 1952. She then sailed for overhaul at Seattle, Washington
.
supply cruises took her through Aleutian
waters and into the hazardous ice floes of the Arctic Circle
to repair and supply units of the fleet stationed there. In nine Western Pacific cruises to date, Grapple has crossed the Pacific to Korea
, Japan, Formosa
, the Philippines
, South Vietnam
, and Hong Kong
. On these, Grapple extensively trained ROK and Nationalist Chinese divers in newest salvage techniques.
reef to widen the harbor entrance at Johnston Island in April 1954 prior to nuclear testing. In addition while prepared to act during a flare-up in the Quemoy–Matsu
area in August and September 1958, she assisted Hilo, Hawaii
, in mopping up after a devastating tsunami
May 1960. During July and August 1964 she participated in the successful salvage operation of freeing (DDR-742), grounded on Pratas Reef in the South China Sea
.
10 December for salvage and rescue operations. Late in the month she prepared to salvage a grounded tug from a reef north of Huế
, South Vietnam. Grapple was still on station in the Pacific, providing valuable salvage and rescue work for planes and ships as well as participating in a variety of miscellaneous duties and exercises.
on 1 December 1977. She was then sold to Taiwan
under the Security Assistance Program, 1 December 1977, and renamed ROCS Da Hu (ARS-552).
She received one campaign star during the Korean War
:
She received five campaign stars during the Vietnam War
:
Her crew was eligible for the following medals and ribbons:
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. She was responsible for coming to the aid of stricken vessels.
Grapple (ARS-7) was launched 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...
, 31 December 1942; sponsored by Mrs. Thomas D. Rose; and commissioned 16 December 1943 at Vallejo, California
Vallejo, California
Vallejo is the largest city in Solano County, California, United States. The population was 115,942 at the 2010 census. It is located in the San Francisco Bay Area on the northeastern shore of San Pablo Bay...
, Lt. Robert Fisher in command.
World War II operations
One of the first ships designed to operate as a combat-salvage vessel, Grapple conducted shakedownSea trial
A sea trial is the testing phase of a watercraft . It is also referred to as a "shakedown cruise" by many naval personnel. It is usually the last phase of construction and takes place on open water, and can last from a few hours to many days.Sea trials are conducted to measure a vessel’s...
off the California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
coast until 15 February 1944 when she sailed for Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
with barge YW-69 in tow. With three barges in tow, she departed Pearl 21 March 1944, proceeded via Majuro
Majuro
Majuro , is a large coral atoll of 64 islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district of the Ratak Chain of the Marshall Islands. The atoll itself has a land area of and encloses a lagoon of...
and Tarawa to Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo is the largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, with an area of . It belongs to the archipelago of the New Hebrides in the Pacific region of Melanesia. It is in the Sanma Province of Vanuatu....
, New Hebrides
New Hebrides
New Hebrides was the colonial name for an island group in the South Pacific that now forms the nation of Vanuatu. The New Hebrides were colonized by both the British and French in the 18th century shortly after Captain James Cook visited the islands...
, Florida Island, and Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal is a tropical island in the South-Western Pacific. The largest island in the Solomons, it was discovered by the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña in 1568...
.
Screening exercises in South Pacific
There Grapple performed miscellaneous screening exercises and readied for her part in the upcoming invasion of GuamGuam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
, another step in America's sweep to victory across the Pacific. On 15 June she came under enemy attack for the first time as three Japanese
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
dive bombers came out of the sun in a surprise attack. Alert antiaircraft crews shot down one of them and seriously damaged another.
Invasion of Guam
Grapple cleared KwajaleinKwajalein
Kwajalein Atoll , is part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands . The southernmost and largest island in the atoll is named Kwajalein Island. English-speaking residents of the U.S...
, staging area for the Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
assault, on 15 July, then 6 days later was standing off Guam in support of the first wave of assault troops. Her vital salvage work at Guam included pulling stranded landing craft
Landing craft
Landing craft are boats and seagoing vessels used to convey a landing force from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. Most renowned are those used to storm the beaches of Normandy, the Mediterranean, and many Pacific islands during WWII...
off the beaches and repairing damaged ships, usually within range of enemy fire. Demolition crews from Grapple, also performed the important work of clearing the Apra Harbor
Apra Harbor
Apra Harbor is a deep-water port on the western side of Guam in the Mariana Islands. The harbor is formed by Orote Peninsula in the south and Cabras Island in the north. To the south, the harbor narrows and then widens again to form an inner harbor. The southern end of the harbor is the location...
entrance of a Japanese freighter
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
sunk by American bombers. After the consolidation of Guam, Grapple returned to Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo is the largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, with an area of . It belongs to the archipelago of the New Hebrides in the Pacific region of Melanesia. It is in the Sanma Province of Vanuatu....
via Eniwetok for repairs and preparation for next major assault.
Salvaging a destroyer and landing craft
Rendezvousing with a convoyConvoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
at Florida Island, Grapple sailed 4 September for the initial assault phase on Peleliu
Peleliu
Peleliu is an island in the island nation of Palau. Peleliu forms, along with two small islands to its northeast, one of the sixteen states of Palau. It is located northeast of Angaur and southwest of Koror....
Island, Palau
Palau
Palau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines and south of Tokyo. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau chose independence instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a...
s, which began 15 September. Under constant fire from enemy shore batteries, she laid small-craft mooring buoys inside Peleliu's protective reef
Reef
In nautical terminology, a reef is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water ....
before being dispatched to aid (DD-689), badly damaged in a mine field. While working on the disabled destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
, a project which lasted over 2 weeks, Grapple also assisted a number of beached landing craft and effected temporary repairs on others.
Under attack in the Philippines
On 24 December Grapple entered Leyte GulfLeyte Gulf
Leyte Gulf is a body of water immediately east of the island of Leyte in the Philippines, adjoining the Philippine Sea of the Pacific Ocean, at . The Gulf is bounded on the north by the island of Samar, which is separated from Leyte on the west by the narrow San Juanico Strait, and on the south by...
, late the scene of one of the war's bloodiest and most decisive naval battles, for further salvage work. Four days later she sailed into Mindanao Gulf to salvage SS William Sharon, an abandoned Liberty ship
Liberty ship
Liberty ships were cargo ships built in the United States during World War II. Though British in conception, they were adapted by the U.S. as they were cheap and quick to build, and came to symbolize U.S. wartime industrial output. Based on vessels ordered by Britain to replace ships torpedoed by...
still smoldering from kamikaze
Kamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
attacks. The salvage ship, with Sharon in tow, and her two destroyer escorts were attacked by Japanese fighter planes in the pre-dawn hours of 30 December, but the planes were driven off.
Navy Unit Citation
From LeyteLeyte
Leyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Tacloban City and occupies the northern three-quarters of the Leyte Island. Leyte is located west of Samar Island, north of Southern Leyte and south of Biliran...
Grapple headed north as the invasion of the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
unfolded deep into enemy held territory at Lingayen Gulf
Lingayen Gulf
The Lingayen Gulf is an extension of the South China Sea on Luzon in the Philippines stretching . It is framed by the provinces of Pangasinan and La Union and sits between the Zambales Mountains and the Cordillera Central...
, again in the initial assault phase. Brilliant salvage work at Lingayen Gulf from 6 January to 26 February 1945 earned Grapple and her crew the Navy Unit Citation.
Fighting fires on the carrier Randolph
She remained on fire-fighting, rescue, and salvage station at UlithiUlithi
Ulithi is an atoll in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, about 191 km east of Yap. It consists of 40 islets totalling , surrounding a lagoon about long and up to wide—at one of the largest in the world. It is administered by the state of Yap in the Federated States of...
and Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
through 7 May, distinguishing herself in fire-fighting efforts on the carrier (CV-15), hit by kamikazes on 11 March. After towing a derrick
Derrick
A derrick is a lifting device composed of one tower, or guyed mast such as a pole which is hinged freely at the bottom. It is controlled by lines powered by some means such as man-hauling or motors, so that the pole can move in all four directions. A line runs up it and over its top with a hook on...
and a lighter to Leyte
Leyte
Leyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Tacloban City and occupies the northern three-quarters of the Leyte Island. Leyte is located west of Samar Island, north of Southern Leyte and south of Biliran...
, Grapple sailed for Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
. On 6 June she was diverted to assist SS William Hawkins, adrift near Johnston Island; taking the merchantman in tow, she reached Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
11 June, stopping only long enough to disengage her tow before continuing to Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, where she docked 22 June.
End-of-war activity and decommissioning
Japan surrendered before Grapple reached Hawaii again on 19 October. There she performed various duties until returning to the coast. She reached 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...
, 15 May, decommissioned there 30 August 1946 and went in reserve.
Reactivated during Korean War
With the outbreak of the Korean WarKorean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, Grapple re-commissioned 26 December 1951 at San Diego, Lt. Roy Coniam in command. After training exercises, she sailed to Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
and from there to Japan, reaching Sasebo
Sasebo, Nagasaki
is a city located in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. As of 2011, the city has an estimated population of 259,800 and the density of 609 persons per km². The total area is 426.47 km². The locality is famed for its scenic beauty. The city includes a part of Saikai National Park...
8 May 1952. Five days later she sailed for Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
and joined British units of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Fleet off Daido Ko 17 May. Later she sailed to Ullong Do and was temporarily converted into a floating laboratory as Navy doctors frantically tried to stem a typhoid epidemic sweeping the peninsula
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
.
Hit by shore batteries
On 8 August Grapple began "flycatcher" duty off the KoreaKorea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n coast, patrolling at night to thwart enemy sampans laying mines in the shallows. While at anchor near Wonsan
Wonsan
Wŏnsan is a port city and naval base in southeastern North Korea. It is the capital of Kangwŏn Province. The population of the city is estimated to have been 331,000 in 2000. Notable people from Wŏnsan include Kim Ki Nam, diplomat and Secretary of the Workers' Party.- History :The original name of...
12 August, Grapple came under heavy fire from shore batteries, and before she could clear the area was hit just below the water line. Her damage control party removed the unexploded projectile and patched up the 6" by 15" hole.
Struck by friendly fire
Three days later, still on patrol. Grapple received more serious injuries—this time at the hands of a friend. Because of a mistake in Identification signals, (AM-315) opened fire on Grapple at a range of about 900 yards. Several shells fell short or exploded above the ship, but one 3" projectile hit just above the pilot house, killing 2 men, injuring 11 others, 3 critically, and doing extensive damage to pilot house and gun deck. After repairs at Sasebo, Grapple returned to Korea, making three more "flycatcher" patrols to protect U.S. ships operating off shore before returning to Pearl HarborPearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
9 December 1952. She then sailed for overhaul at Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
.
Arctic supply cruises
Subsequently, Grapple has based at Pearl Harbor, performing a variety of salvage duties in the mid-Pacific and other areas. In 1953, 1955, 1956, and 1957, late summer ArcticArctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
supply cruises took her through Aleutian
Aleutian
Aleutian may refer to:*The Aleut people, the indigenous people of the Aleutian Islands, the Pribilof Islands, the Shumagin Islands, and the far western part of the Alaska Peninsula in Alaska and of Kamchatka Krai, Russia....
waters and into the hazardous ice floes of the Arctic Circle
Arctic Circle
The Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. For Epoch 2011, it is the parallel of latitude that runs north of the Equator....
to repair and supply units of the fleet stationed there. In nine Western Pacific cruises to date, Grapple has crossed the Pacific to Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, Japan, Formosa
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
, and Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. On these, Grapple extensively trained ROK and Nationalist Chinese divers in newest salvage techniques.
Blasting reef at Johnston Island
Extraordinary duties for Grapple included blasting the coralCoral
Corals are marine animals in class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria typically living in compact colonies of many identical individual "polyps". The group includes the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.A coral "head" is a colony of...
reef to widen the harbor entrance at Johnston Island in April 1954 prior to nuclear testing. In addition while prepared to act during a flare-up in the Quemoy–Matsu
Matsu Islands
The Matsu Islands are a minor archipelago of 19 islands and islets in the Taiwan Strait administered as Lienchiang County , Fujian Province of the Republic of China . Only a small area of what is historically Lienchiang County is under the control of the ROC...
area in August and September 1958, she assisted Hilo, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, in mopping up after a devastating tsunami
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
May 1960. During July and August 1964 she participated in the successful salvage operation of freeing (DDR-742), grounded on Pratas Reef in the South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
.
Vietnam War operations
Departing Pearl Harbor 16 November 1966, Grapple reached waters off South VietnamSouth Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
10 December for salvage and rescue operations. Late in the month she prepared to salvage a grounded tug from a reef north of Huế
Hue
Hue is one of the main properties of a color, defined technically , as "the degree to which a stimulus can be describedas similar to or different from stimuli that are described as red, green, blue, and yellow,"...
, South Vietnam. Grapple was still on station in the Pacific, providing valuable salvage and rescue work for planes and ships as well as participating in a variety of miscellaneous duties and exercises.
Final decommissioning
Grapple was decommissioned (date unknown) and struck from the Naval Vessel RegisterNaval Vessel Register
The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...
on 1 December 1977. She was then sold to Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
under the Security Assistance Program, 1 December 1977, and renamed ROCS Da Hu (ARS-552).
Military awards and honors
Grapple received three battle stars for World War II service:- Marianas operation
- Western Caroline Islands operation
- Luzon operation
She received one campaign star during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
:
- Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952
She received five campaign stars during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
:
- Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV
- Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V
- Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969
- Vietnam Winter-Sprint 1970
- Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII
Her crew was eligible for the following medals and ribbons:
- Combat Action RibbonCombat Action RibbonThe Combat Action Ribbon is a personal military decoration of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, and United States Coast Guard which is awarded to those who, in any grade including and below that of a Captain in the Navy and Coast Guard , have actively participated in ground or...
(retroactive, 15 September 1944 and 30 December 1944) - Navy Unit CommendationNavy Unit CommendationThe Navy Unit Commendation of the United States Navy is an award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944...
- Navy E RibbonNavy E RibbonThe Battle Efficiency Ribbon, Navy "E" Ribbon, or the Battle "E" ribbon was established in July 1976 by Secretary of the Navy J. William Middendorf. The Navy "E" Ribbon denotes permanent duty on U.S. Navy ships, squadrons, or units that have won a battle efficiency competition after July 1, 1974...
- 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...
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign MedalAsiatic-Pacific Campaign MedalThe Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal is a service decoration of the Second World War which was awarded to any member of the United States military who served in the Pacific Theater from 1941 to 1945 and was created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was...
(3) - 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...
(2) - Korean Service MedalKorean Service MedalThe Korean Service Medal is an award of the United States military and was created in November 1950 by executive order of President Harry Truman. The Korean Service Medal is the primary United States medal for participation in the Korean War and is awarded to any U.S. service member, who...
(1) - 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-Taiwan Straits) - Vietnam Service MedalVietnam Service MedalThe Vietnam Service Medal is a military award which was created in 1965 by order of President Lyndon B. Johnson. The distinctive design was the creation of sculptor Thomas Hudson Jones, a former employee of the Army Institute of Heraldry. The medal is issued to recognize military service during...
(5) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (2)
- Philippines Liberation Medal (1)
- United Nations Service MedalUnited Nations Service MedalThe United Nations Service Medal for Korea is an international military decoration which was established by the United Nations on December 12, 1950...
- Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
- Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)
External links
- http://www.shipbuildinghistory.com/history/shipyards/4emergencysmall/basalt.htm Basalt Rock Compay Shipbuilding History