Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Petrel (ASR-14)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Uniform - Sierra - Romeo NUSR

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Secretary of the Navy Letter of Commendation
Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Unit Commendation - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (5) - National Defense Service Medal

Chanticleer Class Submarine Rescue Ship:

Laid down, 26 February 1945, at Savannah Machinery and Foundry, Co., Savannah, GA.

Launched, 26 September 1945

Commissioned USS Petrel (ASR-14), 24 September 1946, LT. Desiderous (Dennis) Hime USN in command

Decommissioned, 30 September 1991

Struck from the Naval Register, 9 October 1991

Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet

Transferred to MARAD custody, 1 May 1999, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Lee Hall, VA.

Final Disposition, contract for scrapping awarded to Bay Bridge Enterprises, Chesapeake, VA., towed from the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River to Bay Bridge Enterprises, Chesapeake, VA., 5 December 2003

Specifications:
Displacement 1,780 t.(lt) 2,141 t.(fl)
Length 251' 4"
Beam 42'
Draft 14' 10" (lim)
Speed 14.5 kts.

Complement

Officer 6

Enlisted 96

Largest Boom Capacity 20 t.

Armament

one single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mounts

four single 20mm gun mounts

Fuel Capacity Diesel-1,785 Bbls

Propulsion

four General Motors model 12-567 Diesel engines
Ship's Service Generators
two GM Diesel 8-268A Diesel-drive 200Kw 120V D.C.
one GM Diesel 3-268A drive 60Kw 120V D.C.

single propeller, 3,000shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By / Source
	66k	*USS Petrel* (ASR-14)** under way in the Cape Cod Canal, summer 1949.	Cliff Hart USS Petrel
	109k	*USS Petrel* (ASR-14)** entering the harbor at Havana, Cuba, summer 1950.	Cliff Hart USS Petrel
	156k	*USS Petrel* (ASR-14)** overhead view under way, date and location unknown. US Navy photo
	92k	*USS Petrel* (ASR-14)** under way in a Mediterranean port, circa 1961, 1964 or 1968. US Navy photo.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
09321413	155k	*USS Petrel* (ASR-14)** moored at St. Petersburg, FL. circa early 1960s.	David Wright
09321414	189k		David Wright
	116k	US Navy ordnance men check for contamination on an H-bomb on the deck *USS Petrel* (ASR-14)** off Palomares Beach, Spain, 8 April 1966, after the bomb was successfully recovered from the Mediterranean Sea. The bomb had been lost since the crash of two US Air Force planes in January 1965. US Navy photo.	Ron Reeves
	90k	*USS Petrel* (ASR-14)** hoisting aboard the remotely operated vehicle CURV during the search for the lost nuclear weapon off Palomares, Spain in 1966. US Navy photo from "Mud, Muscle, and Miracles" by Captain Charles A. Bartholomew, USN and Commander William I. Milwee, Jr., USN (Ret.)	Robert Hurst
	103k	Under water view of the H-bomb located by *USS Petrel* (ASR-14)** using the the remotely operated vehicle CURV. US Navy photo from "Mud, Muscle, and Miracles" by Captain Charles A. Bartholomew, USN and Commander William I. Milwee, Jr., USN (Ret.)	Robert Hurst
	56k	*USS Petrel* (ASR-14)** under way, circa 1965-66, location unknown. US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, September 1966.	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
	93k	*USS Petrel* (ASR 14) approaching USS Walworth County (LST 1164)** for refueling, enroute to the Mediterranean, circa 1968.	USS Walworth County (LST-1164) web site
	414k	*USS Petrel* (ASR-14)** under way in Hampton Roads, Virginia, August 1973.	Courtesy © Atlantic Fleet Sales/ Nobe Smith
	79k	*USS Petrel* (ASR 14)** under way, date and location unknown.	Tom Langford
	75k	*USS Petrel* (ASR-14)** under way, date and location unknown. US Navy photo.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.

USS Petrel Additional Ships Patches
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Petrel (ASR-14)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	LT. Hime Desiderous (Dennis), USN	24 September 1946 - 1948
02	LT. McCaughey, William Hunnewell, USN (USNA 1943)	1949 - 1952
03	LT. Fedzyshyn, Michael, USN	1952 - 1954
04	LCDR. Jones II, Roy Kehlor USN (USNA 1945)	1954 - 1955
05	LCDR. Dunn, William Austin, USN	1955 - 1957
06	LCDR. Eason, George Emery, USN	1957 - 1958
07	LCDR. O'Rourke, Joseph James, USN	1958 - 1958
08	LCDR. Ullrich, Howard Clifton, USN	1958 - 1959
09	LT. Wise, William Edgar, USN	1959 - 5 September 1961
10	LCDR. Bull III, Joseph Laurie, USN	5 September 1961 - 1963
11	LCDR. Harrell, Max Alan, USN	1963 - 1967
12	LCDR. Miller, Robert Cliston, USN	1967 - June 1968
13	LCDR. Tew, Louis M. USN	June 1968 - June 1970
14	LCDR. Richards, Frank Martin, USN	June 1970 - September 1972
15	LCDR. Peck, Bert Lyle, USN	September 1972 - 1974
16	LCDR. Williamson Jr., James Vivian, USN	1974 - 1976
17	LCDR. Hasselman, Eugene A., USN	1976 - 27 September 1979
18	LCDR. Garrahan, Richard, USN	27 September 1979 - 1980
19	LCDR. Malloch, James Edward, USN	1980 - 1983
20	LCDR. Henson, Earl O'Neal, USN	1983 - 1985
21	LCDR. Hively, Howard D., USN	1985 - 1988
22	CDR. Lannou Jr., Gordon Calvert, USN	1988 - 1989
23	CDR. Slaton, Steven Gregory, USN	1989 - January 1990
24	LCDR. Schmitz, David Colin, USN	January 1990 - 27 September 1991


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 Association of Fleet Tug Sailors

Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page

Back To The Service Ship Photo Index

Back To The Submarine Rescue Ship (ASR) Photo Index

Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.

This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 11 March 2022