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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USCGC Escape (WMEC-6)
ex
 USS Escape (ARS-6) (1943 - 1978)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Quebec - November - Foxtrot
NQNF
USS Escape Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - Navy Expeditionary Service Medal (1-Cuba) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Cuba, 1-Dominican Republic)

USCGC Escape Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation - Coast Guard "E" Award - National Defense Service Medal
Diver Class Rescue and Salvage Ship
  • Laid down, 24 August 1942, at Basalt Rock Co., Napa, CA.
  • Launched, 22 November 1942
  • Commissioned USS Escape (ARS-6), 20 November 1943, LT. W. T. Williams in command
  • Decommissioned, 14 January 1947
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Texas Group, Orange, TX.
  • Withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet and recommissioned, 12 July 1951
  • Decommissioned, 1 September 1978
  • Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet
  • Transferred to US Coast Guard
  • Commissioned USCGC Escape (WMEC-6), 1 September 1978
  • Decommissioned and returned to Naval custody, 29 June 1995
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 29 June 1995
  • Title transfer to the Maritime Administration (MARAD)
  • Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA.
  • Final Disposition, contract for scrapping awarded to Bay Bridge Enterprises LLC of Chesapeake, 24 August 2009, will receive $115,200 to recycle ex-Escape
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,530 t.
    Length 213' 6"
    Beam 39'
    Draft 14' 4"
    Speed 14.8 kts. (trial)
    Complement
    Officers - 7
    Enlisted - 113
    Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.
    Armament
    one single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mount
    two twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    four .50 cal machine guns
    Fuel Capacities
    Diesel - 2,150 Bbls
    Gasoline - 2,500 Gals
    Propulsion
    four Combustion Engineering GSB-8 Diesel engines
    double Fairbanks-Morse Main Reduction Gears
    Ship's Service Generators
     two Diesel-drive 200Kw 120V D.C.
     one Diesel-drive 60Kw 120V D.C.
    twin propellers, 3,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Escape (ARS-6)
    Escape
    19-N-57116    		 99k Escape (ARS-6) in the Napa River, CA., 11 November 1943, about a week before commissioning. This ship, the second of this type ordered for the US Navy, was completed with a modified rig aft consisting of a single kingpost with two longer booms. One of the booms was soon deleted, and this became the standard rig for the remainder of the class.
    US National Archives, RG-19-LCM, photo #'s 19-N-57116 and 19-N-57115, US Navy Bureau of Ships photos now in the collections of the US National Archives, courtesy Shipscribe.com    		 Mike Green
    Escape
    19-N-57115    		 108k
    Escape 40k USS Escape (ARS-6) underway in 1946, location unknown. George Harper
    Escape 44k USS Escape (ARS-6) moored pierside, date and location unknown. National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors, Courtesy Harvey Naeser
    Escape 222k USS Escape (ARS-6) at anchor on Lake Timsah, Egypt, during minesweeping operations in the Suez Canal, in 1974.
    US Navy photo "All Hands" magazine, February 1976.    		 Robert Hurst
    Escape 129k USS Escape (ARS-6) entering the Port of Monaco circa 1977. Tony Nichols USS Escape
    Escape 145k USS Escape (ARS-6) moored pierside at Cartagena, Spain, circa 1976-77. Mario Gomes USS Escape
    Escape 128k View from USS Escape (ARS-6) of the harbor at Rota, Spain in 1977. Crew members Larry Crawford and Patrick McQueary. Mario Gomes USS Escape
    Escape 248k USS Escape (ARS-6) moored pierside in the harbor at Genoa, Italy, date unknown. Carlo Martinelli
    Escape 125k USS Escape (ARS-6) towing USS Graham County (AGP-1176) from Naples, Italy to Newport News, VA., circa 1977-78. Mario Gomes USS Escape
    USCGC Escape (WMEC-6)
    Escape 126k USCGC Escape (WMEC-6) underway off Charleston, S.C., circa 1984. Coast Guard Historian's Office
    Escape 98k USCGC Escape (WMEC-6) on patrol in the Caribbean Sea picking up refugees, circa 1994.
    Photo courtesy of the National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors, contributed by Scott Vollmer.    		 Robert Hurst
    MARAD James River Group Reserve Fleet
    Escape
    NR 09370604    		 110k Ex-USS Escape (ARS-6) / USCGC Escape (WMEC-6) laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Lee Hall, VA., 7 and 8 April 2009.
    Photo #
    NR 09370604 - Closeup of ex-Escape in her row in the James River Reserve Fleet
    NR 09370605 - Escape sits between ex-USS Kittiwake (ASR-13) on her port side
    and ex-USS Ortolan (ASR-22) on her starboard side
    NR 09370606 - Bow from the flying bridge
    NR 09370607 - Bow & Deckhouse from the anchor windlass
    NR 09370608 - Deckhouse detail
    NR 09370609 - "Bar code Boat" Mark on her deckhouse
    NR 09370610 - Anti-Drug scorecard
    NR 09370611 - USCG Hull markings
    NR 09370612 - Bridge Interior
    		 Photos by Mike Hibbard
    Escape
    NR 09370605    		 114k
    Escape
    NR 09370606    		 105k
    Escape
    NR 09370607    		 120k
    Escape
    NR 09370608    		 124k
    Escape
    NR 09370609    		 84k
    Escape
    NR 09370610    		 112k
    Escape
    NR 09370611    		 112k
    Escape
    NR 09370612    		 120k
    Ortolan 87k From left to right; ex-USS Kittiwake (ASR-13), ex-USCGC Escape (WMEC-6), ex-USS Ortolan (ASR-22) and an unidentified AKR, Large, Medium Speed Roll on/Roll off ship, laid up in reserve in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA., 8 April 2009 Photo Mike Hibbard
    Ortolan 119k From left to right; ex-USCGC Escape (WMEC-6), ex-USS Ortolan (ASR-22) and an unidentified AKR, Large, Medium Speed Roll on/Roll off ship laid up in reserve in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA., 8 April 2009 Photo Mike Hibbard
    Ortolan 87k From right to left; ex-USS Kittiwake (ASR-13), ex-USCGC Escape (WMEC-6), and ex-USS Ortolan (ASR-22) laid up in reserve in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA., 9 April 2009 Photo Mike Hibbard
    Ortolan 102k From left to right; ex-USS Cape Cod (AD-43), ex-USNS Harkness (T-AGS-32), ex-USS Kittiwake (ASR-13), ex-USCGC Escape (WMEC-6), and ex-USS Ortolan (ASR-22) laid up in reserve in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA., 9 April 2009 Photo Mike Hibbard
    Kittiwake 111k From left to right; ex-USS Cape Cod (AD-43), ex-USNS Harkness (T-AGS-32), ex-USS Kittiwake (ASR-13) and ex-USCGC Escape (WMEC-6) laid up in reserve in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA., 9 April 2009 Photo Mike Hibbard
    USS Escape (ARS-6)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Williams, William Thomas, USNR20 November 1943 - 22 August 1945
    02LT. Hunter, Dallas Walker, USNR22 August 1945 - 6 January 1946
    03LCDR. Hill, Jesse Lee, USN6 January 1946 - 14 January 1947
     Decommissioned14 January 1947 - 12 July 1951
    04LT. McNicol, John Charles, USN12 July 1951 - 1 July 1953
    05LCDR. Bohgren, Marion Lowell, USN1 July 1953 - 22 July 1955
    06LCDR. Willett, Raymond Francis, USN22 July 1955 - 21 September 1956
    07LCDR/CDR. Zehner, John Adolphus, USN21 September 1956 - 1 July1958
    08LCDR. Bradley, John Rose, USN1 July 1958 - 18 August 1959
    09LCDR. Ashman, Richard Clemens, USN18 August 1959 - 18 May 1961
    10LCDR. Messier, Albert Clarence, USN18 May 1961 - 15 November 1963
    11LCDR. Miguel Jr., Theodore, USN15 November 1963 - 24 July 1965
    12CDR. Madeo Jr., Joseph Francis, USN24 July 1965 - 3 December 1966
    13LCDR. Daley, Robert Edward, USN3 December 1966 - 2 April 1968
    14LCDR. Yessak, Lawrence George, USN2 April 1968 - 18 January 1969
    15LCDR. Anglin, Robert Earl< USN18 January 1969 - 4 February 1969
    16LCDR. Yessak, Lawrence George, USN4 February 1969 - 27 August 1969
    17LT. Beasley, Robert Lee, USN27 August 1969 - 8 November 1969
    18LCDR. Corbeil, Rudolph Norman, USN8 November 1969 - 29 April 1972
    19LCDR. McPhail, Eugene Bates, USN (USNA 1962)29 April 1972 - 29 September 1973
    20LCDR. Ireland, Delbert Howard, USN29 September 1973 - 29 September 1975
    21LCDR. Okeson, Lars Holman, USN29 September 1975 - 17 December 1976
    22LCDR. Clark, James Ward, USN (USNA 1964)17 December 1976 - 1 September 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 Register Eligibility Assessment
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    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 9 August 2024

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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