USS Conserver (ARS-39) was a acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II. Her task was to come to the aid of stricken vessels.

Conserver was launched 27 January 1945 by Basalt Rock Company in Napa, California; sponsored by Mrs. H. Price; and commissioned 9 June 1945 at South Vallejo, California.

End-of-World War II operations

Conserver arrived at Sasebo, Japan, 21 September 1945, and until 3 March 1946, she carried out salvage operations at Sasebo, Okinawa, Yokosuka, Aomori, and Hakodate in support of the occupation.

Participation in nuclear testing

After preparations at Pearl Harbor, Conserver arrived at Bikini Atoll 29 March. She served in the Marshall Islands, aiding in Operation Crossroads, the atomic weapons tests of 1946, until 2 September 1947, when she arrived at Manila for duty in the Philippines. From 9 April 1948 to 26 September, she served in Hawaiian waters, and then in Alaskan waters, returning to Pearl Harbor 13 January 1949.

Korean War era operations

From Pearl Harbor, Conserver returned to operate off Alaska between 14 April 1949 and 7 June, and from 10 December to 25 March 1950. With the outbreak of the Korean War, she arrived at Yokosuka 15 July, and between 15 July and 1 August carried out salvage and diving assignments in Korean waters. After a brief overhaul at Yokosuka, she salvaged a fuel pipeline at Iwo Jima, and from 10 September until 24 December returned to Korean waters.

After a final towing voyage from Japan to Korea in January 1951, Conserver returned to local operations at Pearl Harbor from 16 February to 28 May. After salvage duty at Kwajalein and Majuro, she returned to Pearl Harbor to prepare for her second tour of duty in the Korean War. She arrived at Sasebo 27 September, and operated primarily in Korean waters until 7 May 1952, when she cleared for San Diego, California.

After operating on the U.S. West Coast until 4 August 1952, Conserver sailed for brief duty at Pearl Harbor, Kwajalein, Guam, Subic Bay, Bangkok, Singapore, and Sangley Point, returning to Pearl Harbor 22 October. On 6 April 1953, she returned to Sasebo for duty in Korean waters until 9 November, when she cleared for Pearl Harbor.

Post-Korean War activity

From the close of the Korean war through 1960, Conserver alternated operations in the Hawaiian Islands with occasional towing and salvage duty in Pacific islands and tours of duty in the Far East in 1954, 1955, 1955–56, 1957, 1958–59, 1959, and 1960.

Between 20 September 1958 and 20 October, she gave salvage and towing service off Taiwan as American ships stood by during the Quemoy Crisis.

The Conserver participated in Operation Dominic between 25 April - 11 July 11, 1962 as a part of West Pac which involved nuclear testing near Christmas Island.

The Conserver also saw duty as part of Task Force 71 of the US Seventh Fleet in search of Korean Air Lines Flight 007 shot down by the Soviets off Sakhalin Island on 1 Sept. 1983.

LCDR Joseph Sensi jr. served as commanding officer for her last two years of service.

Former Florida State Senator Richard Renick and comedian Ron White served on Conserver during their naval service.

Decommissioning

Conserver was decommissioned twice. Her first decommissioning occurred on 30 September 1986. She was re-commissioned one year later on 30 September 1987. Her final decommissioning took place on 1 April 1994. She was struck from the Naval Register 1 April 1994 and laid up in the Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Final Disposition, Conserver was sunk as a SINKEX target on or about 13 November 2004 in the Hawaii area.

Chronology DateDeployment/Event10 AUG 1944Keel Laid27 JAN 1945Launch Date9 JUN 1945Commissioned12 SEPT 1945 - 21 FEB 1946US Navy occupation of Japan.21 SEPT 1946 - 3 MAR 1946Salvage operations at Sasebo, Okinawa, Yokosuka, Aomori, and Hakodate during American occupation of Japan.29 MAR 1946 -2 SEPT 1947Served in Operation Crossroads in the Marshall Islands at Bikini Atoll.9 APR 1948 - 26 SEPT 1948Served in Hawaiian and Alaskan Waters14 APR 1949 - 7 JUN 1949Operated in Alaskan Waters10 DEC 1949 - 25 MAR 1950Operated in Alaskan Waters15 JULY 1950 - 1 AUG 1950Salvage Operations Yokosuka, Japan and Korea10 SEPT 1950 -24 DEC 1950Operated in Korean Waters15 SEPT 1950 - 17 SEPT 1950Ichon landing during the Battle of Inchon.JAN 1951Towing voyage from Japan to Korea16 FEB 1951 - 28 MAY 1952Operated near Sasebo, Korea5 AUG 1952 - 22 OCT 1952Operated near Pearl Harbor, Kwajalein, Guam, Subic Bay, Bangkok, Singapore, and Sangley Point.6 APR 1953 - 9 NOV 1953Operated near Sasebo, KoreaAUG 1957 - DEC 1957West Pac20 SEPT 1958 - 20 OCT 1958Operated tow service during the Quemoy CrisisJAN 1960 - JUN 1962West Pac25 APR 1962 - 11 JULY 1962As a part of West Pac participated in Operation Dominic Nuclear Testing.24 JUL 1965 – 26 AUG 1965Salvage of the USS Frank Knox DDR-742 at Practice Reef near Hong KongJUN 1966 - OCT 1966West Pac-Vietnam23 NOV 1966 - 31 JAN 1967Vietnamese Counter Offensive: Phase IISEP 1967 - NOV 1967West Pac-Vietnam27 MAR 1968 - 1 APR 1968Tet Counter Offensive2 APR 1968 - 30 JUN1968Vietnamese Counter Offensive: Phase IV1 JUL 1969 - 11 JUL 1969Vietnamese Counter Offensive: Phase V3 AUG 1969 - 10 OCT 1969Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969SEP 1970 - MAR 1971West Pac-Vietnam23 AUG 1970 - 24 NOV 1970Vietnamese Counter Offensive: Phase VIIMAY 1972 - OCT (or Nov.) 1972West Pac-VietnamNOV 1973 - MAY 1974West Pac-Vietnam1975West PacJUL 1978 - JAN 1979West PacJUL 1979 - JAN 1980West PacSEP 1979 - APR 1980Dry Dock25 – 30 NOV 1982Hurricane Iwa restore power operation at Nawiliwili Harbor, KauaiSEP 1983 - OCT 1983Towed Sonar Array Flight KAL 007FEB 1985 - JUL 1985West PacAPR 1986 - JUL 1986Westpac cruiseSEPT 30, 1986First DecommissioningJUNE 22,1987 - SEPT 25, 1987Teardown/RebuildSEPT 30, 1987Recommissioning3 MAR 1988Shellback Initiation - Pacific OceanMAR 1988 - APR 1988Golden Shellback CeremonyMAY 1991 - JUL 1991Panama Canal1 APR 1994Decommissioned and Struck from Naval Register13 NOV 2004Sunk as a SINKEX target

Operation Dominic Chronology Date/TimeNuclear Bomb25 APR 1962 0646ADOBIE27 APR 1962 0702AZTEC2 MAY 1962 0920ARKANSAS4 MAY 1962 1005QUESTA9 MAY 1962 0901QUESTA8 MAY 1962 0901YUKON9 MAY 1962 0801MESILLA11 MAY 1962 0637MUSKEGON12 MAY 1962 0803ENCINO14 MAY 1962 0622SWANEE19 MAY 1962 0637CHETCO30 JUNE 1962 0637BLUESTONE8 JULY 1962 2300STARFISH10 JULY 1962 0732SUNSET11 JULY 1962 0637PAMLICO

Military awards and honors

USS Conserver was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East: MEDAL/ACTIONDATESNavy Occupation Service Medal:12 September 1945 to 21 February 1946China Service Medal (extended):2 to 5 April 1956

Conserver received nine battle stars for Korean War service: MEDAL/ACTIONDATESNorth Korean Aggression:18 to 29 July 1950, 18 September to 2 November 1950Communist China Aggression:3 to 13 November 1950, 25 November 1950Inchon Landing:15 to 17 September 1950First UN Counter Offensive:25 to 28 January 1951UN Summer-Fall Offensive:30 October to 12 November 1951Second Korean Winter:19 December 1951 to 6 January 1952, 2 February to 2 March 1952, 14 March 1952, 18 March 1952, 12 to 30 April 1952.Third Korean Winter:8 to 30 April 1953Korea, Summer-Fall 1953:1 to 2 May 1953, 10 to 27 July 1953

She received the following campaign stars for the Vietnam War: MEDAL/ACTIONDATESVietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II:23 November to 16 December 1966, 25 to 31 January 1967Tet Counteroffensive:27 March to 1 April 1968Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV:2 to 15 April 1968, 14 May to 7 June 1968, 10 to 30 June 1968Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V:1 to 11 July 1969Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969:3 to 14 August 1969, 20 August to 10 October 1969Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII:23 August to 8 September 1970, 16 September to 13 October 1970, 26 October to 9 November 1970, 18 to 24 November 1970

Her crew was eligible for the following medals, ribbons, and commendations: Secretary of the Navy Letter of Commendation Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (4) China Service Medal American Campaign Medal Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) National Defense Service Medal (2) Korean Service Medal (8) Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Taiwan Straits) Vietnam Service Medal (6) Sea Service Deployment Ribbon Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation United Nations Service Medal Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)

Health Effects Asbestos was used in the construction of the USS Conserver. Those who served aboard her before her 1986-1987 overhaul and recommissioning may have been exposed to asbestos, mercury, and trichloroethylene. Sailors who participated in Operation Crossroads or Operation Dominic while aboard the Conserver may have been exposed to radiation related to nuclear bomb testing.

References

External links

Company Shipbuilding History http://www.usscurrent.com/rescuesalvage/images/basalt%20one.pdf

http://wordpress.napahistory.org/wordpress/shipyard-acres-by-pat-renait/ hullnumber.com History of USS Conserver USSCONSERVER.ORG NAVYSITE.DE OPERATION DOMINIC 1 OPERATION CROSSROADS NavSource