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On Sat, 6 Nov 1999
Craig Alexander Rothhammer Email address wrote:
The USS GRAPLE is (ARS-7), a Diver class rescue/salvage ship. I served
on her sister ships, USS GRASP (ARS-24) & USS BOLSTER (ARS-38).
The salvage navy was heavily engaged in the Korean War, close in, and
often under fire. They provided salvage support to the Army, Navy,
Air Force & Marines, Search & Rescue, UDT & special ops operations,
towing, interdiction/patroling, Humanitarian and many other tasks.
I have listed below the records of the eight Diver Class ARS's that I
have certain knowledge of their participation in the Korean War. Many
of them were also WWII and Vietnam veterans.
In the Salvage Navy, we understood ARS not to mean Auxiliary Rescue &
Salvage, but rather "Always Ready Ships". If there was a dirty job to
do, we were the one's to call upon. We paid for this respect in sweat
and blood.
USS GRASP (ARS-24)
Displacement 1,360 Length 213'6" Beam 39' Draw 14'4" Speed 15 k
Complement 120 Armament 4 40mm, 4 .50 cal mg Class Diver
When the Korean War broke, ships again immediately became in short
supply. Grasp recommissioned at San Diego 10 October 1950 and prepared
for combat. Reaching Sasebo, Japan, via Pearl Harbor 12 February 1951,
Grasp at once proceeded on to Wonsan, Korea, for salvage and patrol
work. As she patrolled the coast between Wonsan and Sondin, both under
blockade and seige by the Fleet, Grasp came frequently under fire from
Communist North Korean shore batteries, but was never hit. The two
Korean ports were under seige with daily bombardment and minesweeping
because of their value as a ditching place for pilots who could not make
it back to the carriers steaming off the coast. With the heavy sea
protection these pilots could ditch at Wonsan with some confidence of
rescue. After 2 months on the line off Korea Grasp returned to Sasebo
15 April to continue repair work on damaged ships.
After two more cruises along the Korean coast, interspersed with repair
work in Japan, Grasp returned to Pearl Harbor l0 October and remained
there until sailing for the States 29 January 1952. After quick repairs
at San Diego, Grasp returned to Pearl Harbor 12 March and from there
steamed to Subic Bay, Philippines, for salvage operations. She reach
Sasebo again via Pearl Harbor 16 August and immediately returned to her
duties of a month of patrol and rescue work along the Korean coast
followed by a month of salvage and repair work in Japan. Returning to
San Diego 22 May 1953 for local operations and repair work, Grasp sailed
to Pearl Harbor 19 July and was there when the armistice came 27 July.
Grasp was awarded two battle stars for World War II service, nine battle
stars for her Korean War Service and nine battle stars for her Vietnam
service.
Respectfull Submitted,
Craig Rothhammer craigr@cnmnetwork.com
