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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Patches contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Grasp (ARS-24)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Alpha - November
NJAN

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive)
Second Row - Navy Unit Commendation (2) - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (3) - American Campaign Medal
Third Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Fourth Row - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Philippines Liberation Medal (2) - Korean Service Medal (5)
Fifth Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Vietnam, Korea) - Vietnam Service Medal (5) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (2)
Sixth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)

Diver Class Rescue and Salvage Ship:

Laid down, 27 April 1943, at Basalt Rock Co., Napa, CA.

Launched, 31 July 1943

Commissioned USS Grasp (ARS-24), 22 August 1944, LCDR. Jacob F. Lawson, in command

During World War II USS Grasp was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
Luzon operation Lingayen Gulf landings, 6 to 18 January 1945	Manila Bay-Bicol operations Zambales-Subic Bay, 6 to 18 January 1945 Nasugbu, 31 January to 2 February 1945 Mariveles-Corregidor, 14 to 18 February 1945

Decommissioned, 12 December 1946, at Astoria, OR.

Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Astoria

Recommissioned, 10 October 1950, at San Diego, CA., LCDR. Sam J. Brown in command

During the Korean War USS Grasp participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Korean Service Medal
First UN Counter Offensive 8 March to 13 April 1951	Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952 26 to 30 August 1952 15 September to 11 October 1952 20 to 25 November 1952 27 to 30 November 1952 1 to 24 December 1952
Communist China Spring Offensive 5 to 27 June 1951	Third Korean Winter 4 to 24 January 1953 13 February to 8 March 1953 22 March to 5 April 1953
UN Summer-Fall Offensive 19 August to 13 September 1951

During the Vietnam War USS Grasp participated in the following campaigns:

Campaigns and Dates	Campaigns and Dates
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Advisory Campaign 14 to 17 September 1963	Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VI 16 to 22 February 1969
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV 19 to 20 June 1968	Tet/69 Counteroffensive 23 February to 9 April 1969
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V 5 July to 1 September 1968	Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII 8 to 31 August 1970 19 September to 3 October 1970 18 to 20 March 1971 29 March to 4 April 1971

Decommissioned, date unknown

Struck from the Naval Register, 31 March 1978

Sold to South Korea, 31 March 1978 under the Security Assistance Program

Final Disposition, fate unknown

USS Grasp earned her first Navy Unit Commendation for service in Salvage, Fire Fighting, and Rescue Unit, Service Force, 7th Fleet - Philippine Islands area, 6 January to 10 January 1945, plus two battle stars for World War II service, five battle stars for Korean War service, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal with five campaign stars for Vietnam service

Specifications:
Displacement 1,530 t.(lt) 1,940 t.(lim)
Length 213' 6"
Beam 39' 6"
Draft 14' 4" (lim)
Speed 14.8 kts.(trial)

Complement

Officers 7

Enlisted 113
Largest Boom Capacity 10 Tons

Fuel Capacities

Diesel Oil - 2,300 Bbls.

Gasoline - 2,400 Bbls.

Armament

As Built

two twin 40mm AA gun mounts

three twin 20mm AA gun mounts

After 1963-64 Overhaul

one single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mount

one single 40mm gun mount

Propulsion

four Cooper Bessemer GSB-8 diesel engines driving four General Electric electric motors

double Falk Main Reduction Gears

Ships' Service Generators

one Cooper Bessemers FS-6 Diesel-drive 200Kw 120V D.C.

twin propellers, 3,000shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
" 09372407	156k	U.S.N. salvors from the salvage vessel *USS Grasp* (ARS-24), assisted by a Korean boy, study a recalcitrant air compressor used to blow air into the tanks of the South Korean LST M-170**. Images and text from Mud, Muscles, and Miracles: Marine Salvage in the United States Navy. 2nd Edition. Captain Charles A. Bartholomew, USN, and Commander William I. Milwee, Jr., (Ret.). Naval History & Heritage Command, Naval Sea Systems Command, Department of the Navy, Washington, D.C., 2009.	Robert Hurst
	98k	*USS Grasp* (ARS-24)** docking/undocking at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, HI., in 1954. US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, May 1955	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
	32k	*USS Grasp* (ARS-24)** underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo	Courtesy Jerry Lentz via NAFTS National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
	110k	*USS Grasp* (ARS-24)** underway off Oahu, Hawaii, circa, early 1960s. The ship still has her original tubs behind the bridge with their two 40-mm twin gun mounts. US Navy photo #. KN-4910, courtesy Shipscribe.com	Mike Green
" 09372408	195k	It's a dirty job! A USN salvor from *USS Grasp* (ARS-24)** with a fire hose washes mud out of the RPS Rajah Solman to lighten the ship. Images and text from Mud, Muscles, and Miracles: Marine Salvage in the United States Navy. 2nd Edition. Captain Charles A. Bartholomew, USN, and Commander William I. Milwee, Jr., (Ret.). Naval History & Heritage Command, Naval Sea Systems Command, Department of the Navy, Washington, D.C., 2009.	Robert Hurst
	121k	*USS Grasp* (ARS-24)** underway off Oahu, Hawaii, 21 March 1967. Note the single 40mm gun mount on the signal bridge. US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # USN 1122603, courtesy Shipscribe.com.	Mike Green
	1237k	*USS Grasp* (ARS-24) (outboard) and USS Safeguard (ARS-25) (inboard) conducting salvage operations of USS Regulus (AF-57)** after she ran aground on a reef at Kau I Chau Island off the coast of Hong Kong following the passing of Typhoon Rose on 16-17 August 1971. US Navy photo	Joseph Colombara USS Abnaki
	44k	*USS Grasp* (ARS-24)** moored pierside at Naval Station Guam. "I think we need a bigger crane!"	Photo by Eli Blanco RM3, USS Wandank

USS Grasp (ARS-24)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	LCDR. Lawson, Jacob Frank, USN	22 August 1944 - 10 April 1945
02	LT. Scoville, Charles Arthur, USN	10 April 1945 - 12 December 1946
	Decommissioned	12 December 1946 - 10 October 1950
03	LCDR. Brown, Samuel Joseph, USN	10 October 1950 - 30 June 1952
04	LCDR. Roliman, Richard W., USNR	30 June 1952 - 18 January 1954
05	LCDR. Hale, James Charles, USN	18 January 1954 - 18 January 1956
06	LCDR. Gros, Willie Joseph, USN	18 January 1956 - 13 February 1958
07	LCDR. Meyer, Joseph Peter, USN	13 February 1958 - 17 September 1960
08	LCDR. Byington, Ward Gregory, USN (USNA 1947)	17 September 1960 - 29 November 1962
09	LCDR. Tyson, Billie Cardwell, USN	29 November 1962 - 30 June 1964
10	LCDR. Blundell, Peveril, USN (USNA 1953)	30 June 1964 - 13 January 1967
11	LCDR. Nicholson, Walker Dupuis (Nick), USN	13 January 1967 - 5 March 1969
12	LCDR. Gann, Dewey Leslie, USN	5 March 1969 - 29 March 1971
13	LCDR. Young, Bruce Albert, USN	29 March 1971 - 9 August 1972
14	LCDR. Hillis, Robert J., USN	9 August 1972 - November 1974
15	LCDR. Brucato, Philip Edward, USN	November 1974 - 3 November 1976
16	LCDR. Ostertag, James Joseph, USN	3 November 1976 - 28 February 1978


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 23 September 2022