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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Patches contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Reclaimer (ARS-42)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - India - India - Bravo
 NIIB
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons





Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (2)
Second Row - Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (3)- American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal - Korean Service Medal (5)
Fourth Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (3-Vietnam) - Vietnam Service Medal (8) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (5)
Fifth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal
Bolster Class Rescue and Salvage Ship:
  • Laid down, 10 November 1944, at Basalt Rock Co., Napa, CA.
  • Launched, 23 June 1945
  • Commissioned USS Reclaimer (ARS-42), 20 December 1945, LT. D. A. Bendinelli USN in command
  • Decommissioned, 23 June 1947 at San Diego, CA.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group
  • Recommissioned, 1 December 1950
  • During the Korean War USS Reclaimer participated in the following campaigns:
    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Communist China Spring Offensive
    24 May 1951
    2 to 12 and 20 June 1951
    30 June to 1 July 1951     		Third Korean Winter
    1 to 14 December 1952
    24 December 1952 to 7 January 1953
    23 to 30 April 1953
    UN Summer-Fall Offensive
    3 to 20 August 1951
    21 to 27 November 1951     		Korean Summer-Fall 1953
    1 to 16 May 1953
    Second Korean Winter
    28 November to 19 December 1951     		 

  • During the Vietnam War USS Reclaimer participated in the following campaigns:
    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive
    24 February to 10 March 1966
    24 March to 7 April 1966
    2 to 11 June 1966     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V
    1 to 16 July 1968
    1 August to 10 October 1968
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II
    23 to 24 May 1967     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII
    1 to 16 January 1971
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III
    5 to 8 June 1967
    4 to 20 July 1967
    14 August to 5 September 1967     		Consolidation II
    29 March 1972
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV
    4 to 30 June 1968     		Vietnam Ceasefire
    30 March to 6 April 1972
    17 April to 24 May 1972
    12 to 14 June 1972
    27 June to 7 August 1972

  • Decommissioned and simultaneously struck from the Naval Register, 16 September 1994
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission (MARAD), 28 July 2001, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.
  • Withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet, 28 November 2006, to Naval Weapons Station Concord, CA. for SINKEX preparation
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
  • USS Reclaimer earned five battle stars for Korean War service and 8 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 Contributed
    By
    Reclaimer 61k USS Reclaimer (ARS-42) washing down the radioactive ex-USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) after an atomic test blast at Bikini, circa, June to September 1946.
    US Navy photo.
    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.Ret
    Reclaimer 73k USS Reclaimer (ARS-42), date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Dennis Stephenson SMC USN Ret
    Reclaimer 45k USS Reclaimer (ARS-42) off Honolulu during anchor recovery exercises. Photo taken from USS Moctobi (ATF-105) Photo by Gordon Masse via NAFTS
    National Association
    of Fleet Tug Sailors
    PC-485 49k The main deck of the ROKS 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 USS Bolster (ARS 38) and USS Reclaimer (ARS 42) are in the background.
    US Navy photo.    		 Bob Daly USS PC-1181
    Reclaimer 151k Stern view of ex-USS Reclaimer (ARS-42) laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay with other tugs and salvage ship, 16 February 2008. Ex-USS Reclaimer is awaiting disposal by SINKEX. Photo by Dennis Pangburn EN2, USS Reclaimer 1959-1963.
    Reclaimer 172k Starboard bow view of ex-USS Reclaimer (ARS-42) laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, awaiting disposal by SINKEX, 16 February 2008. Photo by Dennis Pangburn EN2, USS Reclaimer 1959-1963.
    Reclaimer 179k Stern view of ex-USS Reclaimer (ARS-42) laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, awaiting disposal by SINKEX, 16 February 2008. Photo by Dennis Pangburn EN2, USS Reclaimer 1959-1963.
    USS Reclaimer Additional Ships Patches
    Reclaimer
    Contributed by Mike Smolinski    		 Reclaimer
    Contributed by Mike Smolinski    		 Reclaimer
    Contributed by Mike Smolinski

    For more information about USS Reclaimer, see;
  • Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
  • National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
  • Commanding Officers
    • Crew Contact And Reunion Information Web Sites
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Ship Photo Index Back To The Salvage Ship (ARS) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 3 February 2012