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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Current (ARS-22)

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Alpha - Golf NJAG

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - China Service Medal (extended)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal - Korean Service Medal (3)
Fourth Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (3-Vietnam) - Vietnam Service Medal (6) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation
Fifth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)

Diver Class Rescue and Salvage Ship:

Laid down, 2 April 1943, at Basalt Rock Co. Inc., Napa, CA

Launched, 25 September 1943

Commissioned USS Current (ARS-22), 14 June 1944, at Floating Dry Dock Training Center, Tiburon, CA., LCDR. James B. Duffy, Jr., USNR, in command

During World War II USS Current was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
Okinawa Gunto operation Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 to 30 June 1945	3rd Fleet operations against Japan, 10 to 31 July 1945

Following World War II USS Current was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

Navy Occupation Service Medal	China Service Medal (extended)
2 September 1945 to 25 January 1946	27 January to 15 February 1946

USS Current (ARS-22) 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, 9 February 1947 at Pearl Harbor, T.H.

Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group

Recommissioned, 10 October 1951, LT. Charles E. Tiernan in command

During the Korean War USS Current participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Korean War Campaigns
Second Korean Winter 22 February to 20 March 1952 26 March to 1 April 1952 13 to14 and 25 to 30 April 1952	Korean, Summer-Fall 1953 6 June to 17 July 1953 24 to 27 July 1953
Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952 1 to 17 May 1952 28 June to 19 July 1952 6 to 23 August 1952 31 August to 5 September 1952

USS Current was assigned to China Service from 27 January to 15 February 1955

During the Vietnam War USS Current participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Vietnam War Campaigns
Vietnam Defense 1 to 8 October 1965	Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970 12 December 1969 to 6 January 1970 15 March to 28 April 1970
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V 23 October to 1 November 1968	Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII 12 May to 13 June 1971 17 June 1971
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VI 2 November to 12 December 1968	Consolidation I 11 August to 12 September 1971

Decommissioned, 28 April 1972

Struck from the Naval Register, 1 June 1973

USS Current received two battle stars for World War II service, three battle stars for Korean War service and six campaign stars for Vietnam War service

Final Disposition, sold, date unknown, to John A. Williford, of Novato, CA. Contract terminated date unknown, and removed to Brownsville, TX for scrapping in April 1975

Specifications:
Displacement 1,530 t.(lt) 1,940 t.(lim)
Length 213' 6"
Beam 39'
Draft 14' 4" (lim)
Speed 12 kts.

Complement

Officers 7

Enlisted 113

Largest Boom Capacity 10 Tons

Fuel Capacities

Diesel Oil - 2,300 Bbls.

Gasoline - 2,400 Bbls.

Armament

one single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount

two twin 40mm AA gun mounts, reduced to one single 40mm gun mount, during 1963-64 overhaul

four .50 cal machine guns, removed during 1963-64 overhaul

Propulsion

two 6-cylinder Cooper Bessemer GSB-8 diesel-electric engines

Single Farral Birmingham Main Reduction Gear
Ship's Service Generators
two Diesel-drive 200Kw 120V D.C.
one Diesel-drive 60Kw 120V D.C.

twin propellers, 3,000shp

Size	Image Description	Contributed By
94k	Current (ARS-22) underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo from DANFS.	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
66k	*USS Current* (ARS-22)** underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo	Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
107k	*USS Current* (ARS-22)** underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo	NAFTS Collection National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
36k	*USS Current* (ARS-22)** underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo	CWO3 Kenneth J Seaman USN Ret
152k	*USS Current* (ARS-22)** during salvage operations of a Japanese WWII era midget submarine at Keehi Lagoon just outside Pearl Harbor, 6 July 1960. This submarine has been designated by the Navy as "Midget D". It was launched from its mother submarine HIJNS I-18 at 0215 on the morning of 7 December 1941.	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
196k	*USS Current* (ARS-22) is forward of USS Munsee (ATF-107) at Navy Yard Mare Island, 28 March 1946. Munsee is inboard of USS Achomawi (ATF 148) and just forward of Current are USS Lipan (ATF-85), USS Deliver (ARS-23) and USS Preserver (ARS-8)*. Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 1247-46*	Darryl Baker
177k	Aft plan view of *USS Current* (ARS-22) at Navy Yard Mare Island, Vallejo, CA., 28 March 1946. Current was in overhaul at Mare Island from 1 to 31 March 1946. Forward of her are from left to right USS Lipan (ATF-85)*, USS Deliver (ARS 23), and USS Preserver* (ARS 8)*. Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 1241-46*	Darryl Baker
114k	Amidships plan view of *USS Current* (ARS-22) at Navy Yard Mare Island, Vallejo, CA., 28 March 1946. The sterns of USS Deliver (ARS 23), and USS Preserver (ARS 8) are seen forward of Current*. Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 1242-46*	Darryl Baker
1496k	*USS Current* (ARS-22) and USS Abnaki (ATF-96)** underway off the Hawaiian Islands, 22 November 1953. US Navy photo.	Joseph Colombara USS Abnaki
246k	*USS Current* (ARS-22)** at anchor, date and location unknown dressed overall in flags. Photo courtesy of Risheehan (real name unknown).	Robert Hurst
93k	*USS Current* (ARS-22) divers prepare to enter the water for salvage operations on Japanese submarine Ha-19**, 18 July, 1960 off Pearl Harbor, HI. US Navy photo from the USNI Archives.	Tommy Trampp
597k	Japanese midget submarine recovered from Pearl Harbor area, 16 July 1960.	Photo from the Honolulu Star Bulletin, 16 July 1960, courtesy of Rick Connole.

USS Current (ARS-22)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	LCDR. Duffy Jr., James B., USNR	14 June 1944 - 4 March 1945
02	LT. Swift Jr., Robert W., USNR	4 March 1945 - 1 December 1945
03	LT. Red, David R.	1 December 1945 - 16 February 1946
04	LT. Gindling, Howard Foster, USN	16 February 1946 - 8 February 1948
	Decommissioned	8 February 1948 - 10 October 1951
05	LT. Tiernan, Charles Edward	10 October 1951 - 21 July 1953
06	LT. Hill Jr., Milton Reynold	21 July 1953 - 11 September 1954
07	LCDR. McGee, William	11 September 1954 - 9 June 1956
08	LCDR. Stangl, Gerald George (Casey)	9 June 1956 - 31 May 1958
09	LCDR. Minard, Harold R.	31 May 1958 - 17 Septemeber1960
10	LT. Evans, George Julian	17 September 1960 - 12 October 1963
11	LCDR. Fonville, Henry Powell	12 October 1963 - 20 September 1965
12	LCDR. Fuld, Charles Louis	20 September 1965 - 13 February 1967
13	LCDR. Giganti, George Maurice	13 February 1967 - 1 February 1969
14	LCDR. Bradshaw, Joe Leslie	1 February 1969 - 28 April 1972


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
USS Current ARS 22
National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 29 September 2017