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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive


Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USNS Safeguard (T-ARS-50)
ex
USS Safeguard (ARS-50) (1985 - 2007)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Romeo - Uniform - Delta
NRUD
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is left to right
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - Battle "E" Ribbon (2) - National Defense Service Medal


Safeguard Class Rescue and Salvage Ship:
  • Laid down, 8 November 1982, at Peterson Builders, Sturgeon Bay, WI.
  • Launched, 12 November 1983
  • Commissioned USS Safeguard (ARS-50), 17 August 1985, LCDR Kenneth D. Harvey, USN, in command
  • USS Safeguard is assigned to COMNAVSURFPAC and is forward deployed at Sasebo, Japan
  • Decommissioned, 26 September 2007, at Sasebo, Japan and placed in service by the Military Sealift Command (MSC) as USNS Safeguard (T-ARS-50)
  • Placed out of service, 1 October 2016
    Specifications:
    Displacement 2,633t.(lt) 3,282 t.(fl)
    Length 255'
    Beam 51'
    Draft 17' (max.)
    Speed 14 kts.
    Complement
    USS 6 Officers, 94 Enlisted
    USNS 26 CIVMAR, 4 USN
    Armament
    two MK-38 25mm chain guns two .50 cal machine guns
    Propulsion
    four Caterpillar 399 Diesel engines
    two propellers, 4,200shp

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    Size Image Description Contributed By
    /Source
    USS Safeguard (ARS-50)
    Safeguard 41k USS Safeguard (ARS-50) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo
    USS Safeguard (ARS-50) web site
    Safeguard 63k USS Safeguard (ARS-50) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from USS Safeguard web site.
    Bill Gonyo
    Safeguard 54k USS Safeguard (ARS-50) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo
    Carlos LaRochelle
    Safeguard 62k USS Safeguard (ARS-50) underway at her homeport of Sasebo, Japan, 12 June 2002.
    US Navy photo from the Navy Newsstand web site.
    Bill Gonyo
    Safeguard 67k USS Safeguard (ARS-50) off the coast of Kyushu Island, Japan. 28 April 2002.
    US Navy photo # 020428-N-0000X-001 courtesy of Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force.
    Navy Newsstand
    Safeguard 77k USS Safeguard (ARS-50) passes a Royal Thai Navy warship, 6 June 2003, on her way into the port of Sattaphip, Thailand. Safeguard participated in the Thailand phase of exercise Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT). CARAT, a regularly scheduled series of bilateral military training exercises between the U.S. Navy/U.S. Marine Corps team and counterparts from several Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) countries, is designed to enhance interoperability in a variety of mission areas of mutual benefit.
    US Navy photo # 030606-N-0493B-002 by LT. Chuck Bell, photo from Navy Newsstand web site.
    Bill Gonyo
    Safeguard 72k USS Safeguard (ARS-50) lies to in the Java Sea, 4 July 2005, as a rigid hull inflatable boat approaches her during the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise. CARAT is a regularly scheduled series of bilateral military training exercises with several Southeast Asia nations designed to enhance interoperability of the respective sea services.
    US Navy photo # 050724-N-4772B-044 by JO2 Brian P. Biller.
    Jack Treutle
    Safeguard 349k USS Safeguard (ARS-50) moves into position to come along side the guided missile frigate USS Rodney M. Davis (FFG-60) and the guided missile destroyer USS Paul Hamilton (DDG-60) at the commercial port of Maura, Brunei Darussalam. The three ships, along with USS Harpers Ferry (LSD-49), arrived in Brunei, 4 August and comprise the exercise Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) 2005 task group. CARAT is an annual series of bilateral military training exercises with several Southeast Asian nations designed to enhance interoperability of the respective sea services.
    US Navy photo # 050804-N-4104L-025 Maura, Brunei Darussalam (Aug. 4, 2005) by JOC Melinda Larson.
    Robert M. Cieri
    Safeguard 494k USS Safeguard (ARS-50) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo for MSC web site.
    Lee Wahler
    Safeguard 1407k USS Safeguard (ARS-50) military crew depart the ship as her commissioning pennant is hauled down and she is officially transfer to the Military Sealift Command (MSC).
    US Navy photo # 090726-N-4124C-058 SASEBO, Japan (Sept. 26, 2007) by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Adam R. Cole.
    Lee Wahler
    USNS Safeguard (T-ARS-50)
    Safeguard 210k A surface-to-air drone missiles sits on the deck of USNS Safeguard (T-ARS-50) before being launched as a target for Marine F/A-18s near Okinawa, March 2008.
    US Navy photo
    Bill Gonyo
    Safeguard 322k USNS Safeguard (T-ARS-50) arrives in the Andaman Islands for the beginning of Salvage Exercise (SALVEX) 2011. SALVEX is part of a recurring diving exchange between U.S. and Indian navy divers to enhance interoperability and to share best practices.
    US Navy photo # 110104-N-7298P-032 PORT BLAIR, India (Jan. 4, 2011) by LCDR. Derek Peterson.
    Lee Wahler
    Safeguard 935k USNS Safeguard (T-ARS-50) at anchor off Hachinohe, Japan, to assist salvage recovery efforts in support of Operation Tomodachi.
    US Navy photo # 110325-N-MU720-064 HACHINOHE, Japan (March 25, 2011) by MC2 Devon Dow.
    Lee Wahler
    Safeguard
    09375021
    98k USNS Safeguard (T-ARS-50) moors at the port of Hachinohe, Japan to provide salvage recovery assistance to the people of Japan. Safeguard, along with Navy divers, gathered in Japan in support of Operation Tomodachi, to assist the local population clear debris from the harbors caused by a massive tsunami.
    U.S. Navy photo by MC1 Jose Lopez, Jr. Photo from www.flickriver.com by COMSEVENTHFLT
    John Spivey
    Safeguard 617k USNS Safeguard (T-ARS-50) anchored near the port of Miyako in northeastern Japan. Safeguard and other US Navy ships and aircraft are conducting relief operations in Japan as directed to support Operation Tomodachi. Safeguard is flying both the Japanese and US flags from the ship's yardarm.
    US Navy photo # 110329-N-5716H-632 PACIFIC OCEAN (March 28, 2011) by MC1 Josh Huebner.
    Lee Wahler
    Safeguard 881k USNS Safeguard (T-ARS-50) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy (MSC) photo
    Robert Hurst
    Safeguard 1419k USNS Safeguard (T-ARS-50) moored at the Sihanoukville Commercial Port ready to participate in Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Cambodia 2012. CARAT is a series of bilateral military exercises between the US Navy and the armed forces of Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Timor Leste.
    US Navy photo # 121021-N-VA590-235 SIHANOUKVILE, Cambodia (Oct. 21, 2012) by MCC Jose Lopez, Jr.
    Lee Wahler
    Safeguard 202k USNS Safeguard (T-ARS-50) arrives in Thailand supporting Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise Thailand 2013. More than 1,200 Sailors and Marines are participating in CARAT Thailand. CARAT is a series of bilateral military exercises between the U.S. Navy and the armed forces of Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Timor Leste.
    US Navy photo # 130603-N-YU572-009 CHUK SAMAET, Thailand (June 3, 2013) by MC1 Jay C. Pugh.
    Lee Wahler
    Safeguard 160k A member of the Vietnam People's Army watches USNS Safeguard (T-ARS-50) transit into Da Nang in support of Naval Engagement Activity (NEA) Vietnam. The NEA provides opportunities for U.S and Vietnamese naval professionals to share best practices and maritime skills in non-combatant areas, such as military medicine, search and rescue, diving and salvage and shipboard damage control. Approximately 400 U.S. Navy Sailors and civilian mariners are participating in NEA Vietnam 2014.
    US Navy photo # 140407-N-YU572-086 DA NANG, Vietnam (April 7, 2014) by MC1 Jay C. Pugh.
    Robert M. Cieri
    Safeguard 300k Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jason Schafer, left, and Mass Communication Specialist Christopher Perez, assigned to Mobile Diving Salvage Unit (MDSU) 1, dive on the site of the Navy vessel USS Houston (CA-30) from USNS Safeguard (T-ARS 50). Safeguard, its embarked MDSU, and Indonesian navy divers are conducting a diving exercise on the wreck of the Houston as part of Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) 2014.
    US Navy photo # 140612-N-NT265-083 BANTEN BAY (June 12, 2014) by MC3 Christian Senyk.
    Robert M. Cieri
    Safeguard 184k Navy Divers assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 11, Mobile Diving Salvage (MDS) 11-7, and an Indonesian Navy diver working from USNS Safeguard (T-ARS-50) prepare for dive operations held in support of search and survey operations of the sunken World War II navy vessels USS Houston (CA-30) and HMAS Perth (D29). The data collected by the dive exercise will help the U.S. embassy in Indonesia and Naval Historical Heritage Command catalog the current state of the wrecks.
    US Navy photo # 151020-N-CW570-070 BANTEN BAY (Oct. 20, 2015) by MC2 Arthurgwain L. Marquez.
    Lee Wahler

    USS Safeguard (ARS-50)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    USS Safeguard (ARS-50) Commanding Officers
    01LCDR.Harvey, Kenneth Dale17 August 1985– 8 August 1987
    02LCDR Richard R. Wells 8 August 1987–3 September 1987
    03LCDR Michael John O'Moore 3 September 1987–13 July 1990
    04LCDR Donald J. Oswald Jr. 13 July 1990–20 July 1992
    05LCDR George William Fleck 20 July 1992–15 September 1994
    06CDR Michael D. Freeman 15 September 1994–18 October 1994
    07LCDR David Douglas Belt, USN (USNA 1981) 18 October 1994–3 September 1996
    08CDR Peter Kent Webb, USN (USNA 1983) 3 September 1996–15 January 1999
    09LCDR John Gerald Gray Jr. 15 January 1999–5 December 2000
    10LCDR Paul Mitchell Ross, USN (USNA 1987) 5 December 2000–26 June 2001
    11LCDR Paul Joseph Lyons 26 June 2001– July 2003
    12LCDR. Marvin E. Thompson IIIJuly 2003 - 21 April 2005
    13LCDR Doyle Kendall Hodges 21 April 2005–26 September 2007
    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
    National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    US Navy Fact File - Rescue and Salvage Ships - ARS
    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
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    Last Updated 15 September 2023