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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Safeguard (ARS-25)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Alpha - Romeo NJAR

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Presidential Unit Citation
Second Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Citation - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal
Third Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Fourth Row - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Korean Service Medal (2) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (2-Korea)
Fifth Row - Vietnam Service Medal (10) - Humanitarian Service Medal (1- Entewaktek Cleanup, 1-Boat People) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (3)
Sixth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)

USS Safeguard (ARS-25 was transferred to Turkey, renamed TCG Isin (A-589)

Escape Class Rescue and Salvage Ship:

Laid down, 5 June 1943, at Basalt Rock Co. Inc., Napa, CA.

Launched, 20 November 1943

Commissioned USS Safeguard (ARS-25), 30 September 1944, LT. J. F. Simmons in command

During World War II USS Safeguard (ARS-25) was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:

**Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns**
Campaign and Dates
Okinawa Gunto operation Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, March to June 1945

Decommissioned, 12 December 1947, at San Diego, CA.

Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group

Recommissioned, 13 February 1952

During the Korean War USS Safeguard (ARS-25) participated in the following campaigns:

**Korean War Campaigns**
Campaigns and Dates	Campaigns and Dates
Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952 22 September to 5 October 1952 11 to 26 October 1952	Third Korean Winter 30 December 1952 to 17 January 1953 21 January to 4 February 1953 18 to 22 February 1953 24 February to 14 March 1953 28 March to 29 April 1953

During the Vietnam War USS Safeguard (ARS-25) participated in the following campaigns:

**Vietnam War Campaigns**
Campaigns and Dates	Campaigns and Dates
Vietnam Defense 13 October to 5 November 1965 6 to 24 December 1965	Vietnam Winter-Sprint 1970 3 February to 18 March 1970
Vietnamese Counteroffensive 25 to 30 December1965 1 January 1966 29 January to 13 February 1966	Sanctuary Counteroffensive 9 to 23 May 1970 21 to 30 June 1970
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III 4 to 5 November 1967 29 November to 28 December 1967	Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII 1 to 6 July 1970
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V 10 to 24 October 1968	Consolidation I 26 July to 15 August 1971
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VI 25 to 29 November 1968 7 to 12 December1968 25 December 1968 to 3 January 1969 18 to 25 January 1969 30-January to 18 February 1969	Vietnamese Ceasefire 8 November to 26 December 1972 12 January to 6 February 1973 3 to 28 March 1973

Decommissioned, 25 September 1979 and simultaneously transferred to the government of Turkey, commissioned into the Turkish navy as TCG Isin (A-589) the same day

Struck from the US Naval Register, 6 August 1987

Permanent transfer to the government of Turkey, 17 August 1987

Current Disposition, active, Turkish navy

USS Safeguard received one battle star for World War II service, two battle stars for Korean War service, and ten campaign stars for Vietnam War service

Specifications:
Displacement 1,530 t.(lt) 1,940 t.(lim)
Length 213' 6"
Beam 39'
Draft 14' 4" (lim)
Speed 14.8 kts (trial)
Complement

Officers 7

Enlisted 113
Largest Boom Capacity 10 Tons
Fuel Capacities

Diesel Oil - 2,300 Bbls.

Gasoline - 250 Gals
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

four Cooper Bessemer GSB-8 Diesel-electric engines

double Fairbanks Morse Main Reduction Gears

Ships' Service Generators

two Diesel-drive 200Kw 120V D.C.

one Diesel-drive 60Kw 120V D.C.

twin propellers, 3,000shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
USS Safeguard (ARS-25)
	63k	*USS Safeguard* (ARS-25)** underway, date and location unknown. Photo by Ted Stone, from "Jane's Fighting Ships" 1961-62 edition.	Robert Hurst
	38k	*USS Safeguard* (ARS-25) inboard of USS Takelma (ATF-113)** moored at Alpha Dock, Pearl Harbor, date unknown.	Courtesy Craig Rathammer and The National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
	33k	*USS Safeguard* (ARS-25)** underway, date and location unknown.	Courtesy Joe Siesel and The National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
	45k	*USS Safeguard* (ARS-25)** underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo.	Tom Langford
	1237k	*USS Safeguard* (ARS-25) (inboard) and USS Grasp (ARS-24) (outboard) conducting salvage operations of USS Regulus (AF-57)** after she ran aground on a reef at Kau I Chau Island off the coast of Hong Kong following the passing of Typhoon Rose on 16-17 August 1971. US Navy photo	Joseph Colombara USS Abnaki
	74k	*USS Safeguard* (ARS-25) decommissioning program cover and TCG Isin (A-589)** commissioning program cover.	Yucel M.Umar, CPO (Ret.) Turkish Navy

Contributed by Yucel M.Umar, CPO (Ret.) Turkish Navy

TCG Isin (A-589)
	130k	*TCG Isin* (A-589)** during salvage operations in the Bosphorus Straits near Istanbul of the Russian Naval School Ship, MV Khasan, 25 September 1985. *Khasan* collided with Turkish Navy Fast Attack Missile and Torpedo Boat *TCG Meltem* (P-325)**. Five Turkish sailors lost their lives in the collision.	Cüneyt Demir Turkish Navy
	19k	Ex-*USS Safeguard* (ARS-25) underway as the Turkish navy vessel TCG Isin (A-589)**, date and location unknown.	Yucel M.Umar, CPO (Ret.) Turkish Navy
	50k	*TCG Isin* (A-589)** moored to a buoy, date and location unknown.	Yucel M.Umar, CPO (Ret.) Turkish Navy
	64k		Yucel M.Umar, CPO (Ret.) Turkish Navy
	36k	*TCG Isin* (A-589)** with other units of the Turkish Navy, date and location unknown.	Yucel M.Umar, CPO (Ret.) Turkish Navy
	72k	*TCG Isin* (A-589)** at anchor, date and location unknown.	Yucel M.Umar, CPO (Ret.) Turkish Navy
	74k	*TCG Isin* (A-589)** in port, date and location unknown.	Yucel M.Umar, CPO (Ret.) Turkish Navy
	75k	*TCG Isin* (A-589)** crew members on the gangway, 20 February 2008, location unknown.	Yucel M.Umar, CPO (Ret.) Turkish Navy
	78k	*TCG Isin* (A-589)** underway, date and location unknown.	Yucel M.Umar, CPO (Ret.) Turkish Navy
	61k	*TCG Isin* (A-589)** at anchor, date and location unknown.	Yucel M.Umar, CPO (Ret.) Turkish Navy and Cüneyt Demir Turkish Navy
	392k	*TCG Isin* (A-589)** at anchor, date and location unknown.	Cüneyt Demir Turkish Navy
	269k	Drawing of *TCG Isin* (A-589)** underway, by Cüneyt Demir.	Cüneyt Demir Turkish Navy