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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Patch at left contributed by Mike Smolinski, patch at right courtesy Paul Knierim via NAFTS

ARS-38 Bolster

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Echo - Whiskey
 NHEW
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 - Combat Action Ribbon (3)
Second Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Fourth Row - Korean Service Medal (7) - Vietnam Service Medal (11) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (2)
Fifth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)
Bolster Class Rescue and Salvage Ship:
  • Laid down, 20 July 1944, at Basalt Rock Co., Napa, CA.
  • Launched, 23 December 1944
  • Commissioned USS Bolster (ARS-38), 1 May 1945, LT. W. F. Lewis in command
  • During the Korean War Bolster participated in the following campaigns:
    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    North Korean Aggression
    15 September to 2 November 1950     		Second Korean Winter
    8 to 23 February 1952
    13 March to 12 April 1952
    Communist China Aggression
    3 November 1950 to 19 January 1951     		Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952
    3 to 16 June 1952
    15 July 1952
    First UN Counter Offensive
    9 February to 10 March 1951
    11 to 16 April 1951     		Korea Summer-Fall 1953
    8 March to 11 April 1953
    Communist China Spring Offensive
    17 to 21 May 1951     		.

  • During the Vietnam War Bolster participated in the following campaigns:
    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive
    11 to 17 February 1966     		Sanctuary Counteroffensive
    1 to 14 May 1970
    7 to 24 June 1970
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II
    21 October to 19 December 1967
    24 to 29 January 1968     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII
    24 July to 12 August 1970
    30 August to 15 September 1970
    Tet Counteroffensive
    30 January to 27 February 1968     		Consolidation I
    26 October to 30 November 1971
    Tet 69/Counteroffensive
    3 to 7 March 1969
    7 April to 25 May 1969     		Consolidation II
    1 to 3 December 1971
    1 January to 29 March 1972
    Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969
    7 July to 4 August 1969     		Vietnam Ceasefire
    30 March to 30 September 1972
    Vietnam Winter-Summer 1970
    26 to 30 April 1970     		.

  • Decommissioned, 24 September 1994
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 24 September 1994
  • Transferred, 1 February 1999, to the Maritime Administration for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.
  • Current Disposition, laid up at Suisun Bay
  • Bolster received seven battle stars for her Korean War service and eleven campaign stars for Vietnam War service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,497 t.(lt) 2,048 t.(fl)
    Length 213' 6"
    Beam 39'
    Draft 14' 8"
    Speed 15 kts.
    Complement 120
    Armament two 40mm guns
    Propulsion diesel-electric, twin screws, 2,780hp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    Bolster 29k Bolster (ARS-38) underway during builders trials, San Francisco Bay, 20 May 1945 Courtesy John Ackerman
    via NAFTS
    National Association
    of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Bolster 102k Bolster (ARS-38) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, September 1951.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Bolster 30k Bolster (ARS-38), at Yokosuka, Japan, 1952 Courtesy Lynn Miller
    via NAFTS
    National Association
    of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Bolster 49k Bolster (ARS-38) underway, date and location unknown. NAFTS
    National Association
    of Fleet Tug Sailors
    PC-485 49k The main deck of the ROK Han Ra San (PC 705) ex-USS PC-485 about to break the surface after being sunk at Guam by Typhoon Karen, November 1962. The salvage ships Bolster (ARS 38) and Reclaimer (ARS 42) are in the background.
    US Navy photo.    		 Bob Daly USS PC-1181
    Bolster 347k Bolster (ARS-38) returning from sea to Naval Station Long Beach, Spring 1992. Photo by ©David Buell
    Bolster 108k Stern view of Bolster (ARS-38) moored in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA., November/December 2006. Christopher Edwards
    View the Bolster (ARS-38)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S.Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    American Fleet Tug Museum
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Ship Photo Index Back To The Salvage Ship Photo (ARS) Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 4 January 2008