USS Grasp (ARS-24)

Grasp (ARS-24) was launched 31 July 1943 by the Basalt Rock Company in Napa, California; sponsored by Mrs. J. B. McDonough; and commissioned 22 August 1944.

After fitting out at San Francisco, California, and shakedown along the California coast out of San Diego, California, Grasp sailed for the Pacific Ocean, reaching Hawaii 27 October 1944. From Pearl Harbor she headed for combat, reaching Manus, Admiralty Islands, 24 December to prepare for her role in the upcoming Lingayen Gulf operations. Joining the battle group, under the overall command of Admiral T. C. Kincaid, Grasp sailed for the Philippines 1 January 1945.

When the Korean War broke, ships again immediately became in short supply. Grasp recommissioned at San Diego, California, 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 siege by the Fleet, Grasp came frequently under fire from Communist North Korean shore batteries, but was never hit.

Despite the termination of open warfare Korea was to remain an important port of call for Grasp as the salvage ship's peacetime duties settled into a pattern of yearly WestPac cruises out of Pearl Harbor intermixed with local operations and salvage work out of the Hawaiian port. As she sailed each year to join the U.S. 7th Fleet in its massive peacekeeping and patrol work in the western Pacific, Grasp visited such Asian ports as Yokosuka, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Manila, Okinawa, and Eniwetok. America's participation in the struggle against communism in Vietnam added Saigon to this list in 1963. And Grasp was also at Johnston Island in the spring of 1962 in connection with nuclear weapons tests being conducted there.

A reasonable speculation of the Grasp was the recovery of both US and Soviet ICBM reentry vehicles from depths down to 20,000 feet. It was from this experience that the plan to raise a Soviet submarine, the Jennifer Project, was launched.

Another break in the pattern came in 1956 and again in 1957 as Grasp sailed north to participate in Arctic re-supply and salvage operations in the icy Alaskan waters. Between October 1964 and March 1965 she conducted yet another deployment to the Western Pacific for salvage operations out of the Marianas and the Philippines. After returning to Pearl Harbor in mid-March, she was assigned to salvage and towing duty out of Guam, Marianas. Departing Pearl Harbor 2 November, she reached Guam the 27th. Since that time she has operated out of Guam to the Philippines and Southeast Asian waters and has continued to provide rescue and salvage facilities to ships of the powerful 7th Fleet.

Grasp was decommissioned (date unknown) and struck from the Naval Register, 31 March 1978. She was sold to South Korea, 31 March 1978 under the Security Assistance Program and became Rescue and Salvage Ship Changwon (ARS-25). Final disposition: Decommissioned by ROK Navy and fate unknown.

Grasp was awarded two battle stars for World War II service, five battle stars for Korean War service, and 5 battle stars for Vietnam service. Her crew was eligible for the following ribbons, commendations and medals:

• Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive)
• Navy Unit Commendation (2)
• Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (3)
• American Campaign Medal
• Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2)
• World War II Victory Medal
• National Defense Service Medal (2)
• Korean Service Medal (5)
• Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Vietnam, 1-Korea)
• Vietnam Service Medal (5)
• Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (2)
• United Nations Service Medal
• Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
• Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

• Photo gallery of Grasp at NavSource Naval History
• Basalt Rock Company Shipbuilding History