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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

ARS-9 Shackle
WAT-167 / WAGO-167 / WMEC-167 Acushnet

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Shackle (ARS-9) was laid down on 26 October 1942 by the Basalt Rock Co., Napa, Calif., launched on 1 April 1943, sponsored by Mrs. Walker Cochran, and commissioned on 5 February 1944, Lt. Charles G. Jenkins, Jr., in command.

Following shakedown out of San Diego, Shackle proceeded to Pearl Harbor. In May, she continued west to Midway where she cleared the entrance channel of the wreckage of Macaw (ARS-11). She then returned to Hawaii; and, in late November, took ARP-24 in tow and again headed west. Brief duties at Eniwetok, Guam and Saipan followed; and, in late January 1945, she commenced preparations for the assault on Iwo Jima.

A unit of Task Force 51, she arrived in the Volcano Islands on 19 February and remained until 10 March. Having completed over 44 salvage and diving assignments, she then sailed for Ulithi to prepare for the Okinawa campaign. On 27 March, she departed the Carolines for the Ryukyus where, operating from Kerama Retto, she provided assistance to ships on the vulnerable screening stations in the Okinawa area and made repairs and pumped water from damaged ships in preparation for docking them. In May alone she provided salvage and repair assistance to 21 ships many of which were kamikaze victims.

On 1 July, Shackle joined Task Group 39.11, a minesweeping group; and, during that month, as area "Juneau" in the East China Sea was swept, she combined salvage and mine disposal duties. At the end of the month, she returned to Buckner Bay, where, on 12 August, she witnessed the torpedoing of Pennsylvania (BB-38) and immediately commenced salvage work on the damaged battleship. Three days later, the war ended.

Shackle remained in the Buckner Bay area until 20 September. She then sailed for Tokyo Bay where, into November, she was employed in clearing the docking area at Yokosuka. On the 27th, she started back across the Pacific. Salvage duties interrupted her voyage at Wake Island. At the end of December, she arrived at Pearl Harbor; and, in February 1946, continued on to the west coast. She remained at San Diego until ordered to San Francisco where, on 29 June, she was decommissioned and transferred to the United States Coast Guard.

Renamed Acushnet and designated WAT-167, later WMEC-167, she served the Coast Guard as a search and rescue ship into July 1968. Then redesignated an oceanographic ship, WAGO-167, and assigned to oceanographic, meteorologic, and polar operations, she commenced duties as a research support ship. During fiscal year 1970, she underwent conversion during which alterations were made to her hull and scientific equipment, and research and storage spaces were added. In July 1971, Acushnet transferred from the west coast to the gulf coast; and, based at Gulfport, Miss., has continued her oceanographic work into 1974.

Shackle (ARS-9) earned three battle stars during World War II.