0 9 MAR From: Commanding Officer, USS GRAPPLE (ARS 53) To: Director of Naval History (OP-O9BH) Subj: COMMAND HISTORY OF USS GRAPPLE (ARS 53)

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1 DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY U S S GRAPPLE (ARS-SS) C/O FPO NEW YORK, NEW YORK From: Commanding Officer, USS GRAPPLE (ARS 53) To: Director of Naval History (OP-O9BH) 0 9 MAR 1989 Subj: COMMAND HISTORY OF USS GRAPPLE (ARS 53) Ref: (a) OPNAVINST D Encl: (1) USS GRAPPLE (ARS 53) Command History for Enclosure (1) is forwarded in accordance with reference (a).

2 Enclosure (1) A. The primary mission of the USS GRAPPLE (ARS 63) is to assist in advance force operations, worldwide, in support of national policy. in combat, GRAPPLE will be employed to support protection forces ashore through post-assuit salvage operations in close proximity to the shore. The GRAPPLE is designed to perform combat salvage, i ifting, towing, offship firefighting, diving operations, and emergency repa i rs. B. (1) lmnediate Senior In comnend: Comnander, Support Squadron EIGHT, Comnander Stephen W. Delapiane, U.S. Navy. (2) Comnend i ng Off icer : Lieutenant Comnander T Imothy B. Stark, U.S. Navy. (3) Homeport: Little Creek, Va. PVST SAN REMO, IT 1-3 JAN ENR PALMA DE MALLORCA, SP REFUEL ALONGSIDE USNS MlSSlSlNiWA INPT PALMA DE MALLORCA, SP INSPECTED/CLEANED USS DONALD B. BERRY PRAIRIE MASKER SYSTEM CONDUCTED 4 POINT MOOR/DiVER TRAINING POLLENSA BAY, SP CONDUCTED VERTREP AND FAS WITH USNS CONCORD (AFS 6) PVST AL I CANT I, SP 4-6 JAN 6 JAN 6-13 JAN 7 JAN Jan 20 JAN JAN ENR NAPLES, IT JAN TARGET TOW SVCS FOR MEF 1-88 XlST GP 28 JAN inpt NAPLES, IT/LOAD DEEP DRONE 31 JAN-3 FEB CONDUCTED DEEP DRONE OPS, OF SARDINIA EAST COAST 4-12 FEB

3 Enclosure (1) INPT NAPLES, IT/OFFLOAD DEEP DRONE/ SMI ASSIST VISIT/PMS INSPECTION FEB ENR ROTA, SP CONDUCTED FAS WITH USNS WACCAMAMAW ARV ROTA,SP/TURNOVER WlTH USS RECOVERY (ARS 43) INPT LITTLE CREEK, VA/POST DEPLOYMENT STANDDOWN SUPPLY MANAGEMENT INSPECTION SINKEX TOW OF EX-TERCELL FOR SDV WARSHOT STEERING INSPECTION FEB 16 FEB 19 FEB 20 FEB-3 MAR 4 MAR-4 APR 7-8 MAR 6 APR 11 APR IMAV W/ S 1 MA LCRK 1 1 APR-6 MAY DIESEL INSPECTION SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYS INSP VENT l lat l ON l NSP NWPL INSP WORK PACKAGE DEFINITION CONF FOR PMA ON 13 MAR-16 MAY POST IMAV SEA TRIALS ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SURVEY CMS INSPECTION 11 APR-6 MAY APR APR 28 APR 9-17 MAY 11 MAY 12 MAY 13 MAY DEPENDENTS CRUISE TO WATERSIDE, NORFOLK 14 MAY INPT WATERSIDE, NORFOLK MAY ISE CHES BAY DMTT VISIT READY DUTY SALVAGE SHIP TARGET TOW SVCS FOR USCG TAHOMA 16 MAY MAY MAY 24 MAY

4 Enolosure (1) READY DUTY SALVAGE SH l P 6 JUN-1 JUL DIVER'S LIFE SUPPORT SYS CERT INSP BY NAVSEA (00C-SCA) STBD TOW INSP FOUR POINT MOOR/DIVER REQUALS, CHES BAY MK-28 TGT IMPLANT FOR P-3 ASW WARSHOT TEMPEST INSP MDSU-2 DIVE SCHOOL SUPPORT, CHES BAY TGT TOW SVCS, VACAPES RAV (MPDE & SSDG HEAD GASKET RPL) PHYSICAL SECURITY ASSIST VISIT MK-60 CAPTOR DEPLOYMENT/RECOVERY TRAINING COMMUNICATION ASSIST VISIT COMMAND INSP DIVE SAFETY SURVEY (NAVSAFECEN) 6-7 JUN JUN JUN 28 JUN 28 JUN 7-8 JUL 14 JUL 18 JUL-7 AUG JUL JUL 1 AUG 2-4 AUG 4 AUG EX-TULL I BEE (SSN 697) TOW, NH TO NORVA PORTSMOUTH AUG FULL PERIOD TERMINATION TRAINING MK-46 SURFACE SHOT TGT IMPLANT, VACAPES SWING SHIP/DEGAUSSING RUN, CHESBAY 7-10 AUG AUG 19 AUG ISE TRANSIT ATLANTIC TO NORWAY FOR TEAWORK AUG-13 SEP MOORED ALONGSIDE USS PUDGET SOUND FOR FUEL AND STORES SALVAGE ASSISTANCE AND DEBEACHING OF USS BOULDER ( LST 1 190) TRANSIT TO BOW, NO INPT BOW, NO/SHAREM 76 UPLOAD 12 SEP SEP 16 SEP SEP SHAREM 76 OPS VESTAFJORD, NO SEP

5 INPT BOW, NO/SHAREM 76 DOWNLOAD 29 SEP-6 OCT PUDGET SOUND DIVE BOAT SALVAGE BODO, NO 6-7 OCT ANCHOR OUTER HARBOR BOW, NO TRANSIT TO EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND PVST EDINBURGH SCOTLAND INPT PLYMOUTH UK FOR STROM EVASION 7-10 OCT OCT OCT OCT OCT 27 OCT-6 NOV INPT NAS ANNEX BERMUDA, BSF/STORM EVASION READY DUTY SALVAGE SHIP l NPT LITTLE CREEK, VA 6 OCT 7-9 NOV 8-21 NOV NOV IMAV/RAV/CABLEWAY LITTLE CREEK, VA INSP 21 NOV-9 DEC PROPULSION PLANT ALIGNMENT, INPORT 28 NOV-11 DEC CMS ASSIST VISIT 9 DEC PROPULSION PLANT ALIGNMENT/GOVERNOR GROOM/EMI, CHES BAY DEC HOLIDAY LEAVE AND UPKEEP DEC Following GRAPPLE'S Christmas port visit In San Rerno, Italy the GRAPPLE vlslted Palma de Mallorca, Spaln followed by four point moor anchorage and diver training In Pollenaa Bay off the coast of Spaln. After departing Pollensa Bay GRAPPLE completed e refuellng at sea and vertical replenlahnt with USS CONCORD (AFS 6) prior to port visits In Alicante, Spain and Naples, Italy. In Naples, GRAPPLE onloaded Deep Drone for classified operations off the coast of Sardinia. GRAPPLE conducted a refueling at sea wlth USNS WACAMAMAW enroute to Rota, Spaln. GRAPPLE turned over wlth the USS RECOVERY (ARS 43) In Rota and departed for Little Creek, Vlrglnie on 21 February, arrlvlng on 4 March and completing her first six month deployment. Enclosure (1)

6 Enclosure (1) After a post deployment stand down from 4 March until 4 Aprll GRAPPLE conducted a SINKEX tow of the ex-tercell In Aprll, a target tow servlce for USCG TAHOMA In May, a MK 48 target Implant for a P-9 ASW warshot In June and a target tow for the USS TICONDEROGA In July. GRAPPLE conducted Its flrst tow of a defueled nuclear powered suharlne In mld August, wlth the tow of the ex-uss TULIBEE (SSN 6871 from Portsmouth, New Hampshire to Norfolk, Vlrglnla. On 26 August GRAPPLE set sail for the North Atlantlc to partlclpate In TEAMWORK 88 Operatlons. On 13 September, whlle conducting operatlons durlng TEAMWORK 88, GRAPPLE asslsted In Its flrst shlp retractfon. The USS BOULDER (LST 1190) was retracted from a stranding In a Norweglan fiord by two Norweglan salvage tugs, wlth GRAPPLE standlng by to render assistance. Followlng the retraction, GRAPPLE dlver's performed an underwater hull vldeotape survey of the USS BOULDER and GRAPPLE escorted BOULDER to a safe anchorage In Frohavet, Norway. Upon completion of TEAMYORK 88 on 16 September, GRAPPLE onloaded the DEEP DRONE Remote Operated Vehlcle and support equipment In Bodo, Norway. From 19 to 29 September GRAPPLE acted as support vessel for DEEP DRONE for the SHAREM 76 Operatlons off the coast of Norway, by lmplantlng a MK-60 Captor mlne mlnefleld and subsequently retrlevlng all Implanted mlnes uslng DEEP DRONE, After offloadlng DEEP DRONE In Bodo, Norway at the conclusion of SHAREM 76 operahlons, GRAPPLE conducted Its flrst deep water salvage dlvlng operatlon outslde Bodo harbor, GRAPPLE dlvers worked from 6 to 7 October at 160 feet of sea water to recover the USS PUffiET SOUND'S sunken dlve boat fram the ocean floor, GRAPPLE then translted from Norway back to Llttle Creek, Vlrglnla wlth the salvaged dlve boat, arrlvlng on 8 November. Enroute GRAPPLE made a port vlslt In Edlnburgh, Scotland and stopped In Plymouth, England and Bermuda to evade heavy weather. GRAPPLE spent the rest of 1988 In en IMAV wlth SlMA Little Creek and in Hollday leave and upkeep In home port.