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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Gypsy (ARSD-1)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Foxtrot - November - Papa
 NFNP
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal
Bottom Row - Korean Service Medal (3) - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)
Gypsy Class Salvage Lifting Vessel:
  • Authorized as LSM-549
  • Reclassified Salvage Lifting Vessel ARSD-1, 24 April 1945
  • Named Gypsy, 1 May 1945
  • Laid down at Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston, TX.
  • Launched, 7 December 1945
  • Commissioned USS Gypsy (ARSD-1), 18 March 1946, LCDR Clyde S. Horner, USN in command
  • USS Gypsy (ARSD-1) was assigned to Joint Task Force 1, Task Unit 1.2.7 Target Vessel Group - Salvage Units for Operation Crossroads the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in July 1946
  • Decommissioned, 21 January 1948
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group
  • Recommissioned, 8 August 1951
  • During the Korean War USS Gypsy (ARSD-1) participated in the following campaigns:

    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Third Korean Winter
    11 January to 11 February 1953
    24 February to 31 March 1953     		Korean Summer-Fall 1953
    1 to 6 May 1953
    Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952
    16 to 30 April 1953     		.
  • Decommissioned, 23 December 1955
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Columbia River Group, Astoria, OR.
  • Relocated in 1967 to the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 June 1973
  • USS Gypsy (ARSD-1) earned three battle stars for Korean War service
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping by the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS), 1 January 1974
    LSM Specifications:
    Displacement 520 t.(light), 743 t. (landing) 1,095 t.(fully loaded)
    Length 203' 6" (ovl)
    Beam 34' 6"
    Draft
    light, 3' 6" forward, 7' 8" aft
    fully loaded, 6' 4" forward, 8' 3" aft
    Speed 13.2 kts. (max.), (928 tons displacement)
    Complement
    5 officers
    54 enlisted
    Armament
    one twin bow mounted 40mm gun
    four single 20mm gun mounts
    Vehicle/Boat Capacity 5 medium or 3 heavy tanks, or 6 LVT's, or 9 DUKW's
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 1,225 Bbls
    Troop Accommodations
    2 officers
    46 enlisted
    Armor 10-lb. STS splinter shield to gun mounts, pilot house and conning station
    Endurance 4,900 miles @ 12kts.(928 tons displacement)
    Propulsion
    two Fairbanks Morse (model 38D81/8X10, reversible with hydraulic clutch) Diesel engines, direct drive with 1,440 BHP each @ 720rpm
    Ship's Service Generators
     two Diesel-drive 100Kw 450V A.C.
     one Diesel-drive 20Kw 120V D.C.
    twin propellers, 2,800shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Gypsy 53k US Navy Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Houston, TX. photo of USS Gypsy (ARSD-1) underway at Houston, TX., 20 February 1946. Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston , TX. completion photo.
    US Navy Bureau of Ships photo, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 USS LSM /LSMR Association
    Gypsy 78k US Navy Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Houston, TX. photo of USS Gypsy (ARSD-1) underway at Houston, TX., 20 February 1946. Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston , TX. completion photo.
    US Navy Bureau of Ships photo.    		 USS LSM /LSMR Association
    Gypsy 87k US Navy Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Houston, TX. photo of USS Gypsy (ARSD-1) underway at Houston, TX., 20 February 1946. Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston , TX. completion photo.
    US Navy photo # 19-N-113935, a Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Robert Hurst
    Gypsy 21k USS Gypsy (ARSD-1) moored to a buoy, date and location unknown. Contributed by Patrick Daly and
    The National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Gypsy 91k USS Gypsy (ARSD-1) at anchor, 25 June 1947, off Long Beach Naval Shipyard at Terminal Island, CA. after completing overhaul. Note the second lighter set of lifting gear added forward which was added to all units of this class after their initial completion.
    US Navy photo # 19-N-126293, a Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Robert Hurst
    Gypsy 82k USS Gypsy (ARSD-1) underway, 25 June 1947, off Long Beach Naval Shipyard at Terminal Island, CA. after completing overhaul. The bow of her sister ship, USS Mender (ARSD-2), which underwent an overhaul at the same time, is barely visible beyond her bow. Both ships have the second lighter set of lifting gear that was added forward on all units of this class after their initial completion.
    US Navy photo # 19-N-126290, a Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Robert Hurst
    USS Gypsy (ARSD-1)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Horner, Clyde Stuart, USN18 March 1946 - ?
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 19 March 2021