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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive


Contributed by Don McGrogan, BMCS, USN Ret. - Popular Patch

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Ortolan (ASR-22)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - November - Alpha - Charlie
NNAC
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Navy Battle "E" Ribbon - National Defense Service Medal


ASR-21 Pigeon Class Submarine Rescue Ship:
The ASR-21 class Submarine Rescue Ship was the Navy's response after the loss USS Thresher (SSN-593) in 1963. The ASR-21 class Submarine Rescue Ship design was built around the new Deep-submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) mission. The new ASR class was designed to be a mother ship for DSRVs, Mystic (DSRV-1) and Avalon (DSRV-2), with protected launch/recovery between the hulls, deck crane machinery, 4 point mooring system and two Deep Dive Systems MK2 Mod1.

  • Laid down, 28 August 1968, at Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Co., Mobile, AL.
  • Launched, 10 September 1969
  • Commissioned USS Ortolan (ASR-22), 14 July 1973, at Naval Base Philadelphia, PA.
  • Decommissioned and struck from the Naval Register, 30 March 1995
  • Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Fort Eustis, VA.
  • Title transfer to MARAD, 1 May 1999
  • Final Disposition, contract awarded for scrapping announced, 3 July 2009 to ESCO Marine, Brownsville, TX., contract cost $325,090, departed James River Reserve Fleet, 20 July 2009
    Specifications:
    Displacement 3,706 t.(lt) 4,545 t.(fl)
    Length 251
    Beam 93'
    Draft 26' (max)
    Speed 15 kts
    Complement 139
    Armament two 3"/50 guns
    Aircraft helicopter pad only
    Propulsion four diesel engines, two propeller shafts

    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Ortolan
    09322244
    239k Ortolan (ASR-22) at Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Co., Mobile, AL., 9 September 1969. She was launched the following day.
    U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo # NH 68447
    Robert Hurst
    Ortolan
    09322224
    160k Mating of the Personnel Transfer Capsule with the Deck Decompression Chamber aboard USS Ortolan (ASR-22) in 1974 at the start of the Phase B integrating system testing which was an important milestone in Ortolan's construction and had to be completed before sea trials could begin. Joe Neumann
    Ortolan
    09322225
    222k Ortolan (ASR-22) underway during sea trials in the Delaware River, July 1973. Joe Neumann
    Ortolan
    09322226
    273k
    Ortolan
    09322227
    339k
    Ortolan
    09322228
    281k
    Ortolan
    09322229
    288k
    Ortolan 333k USS Ortolan (ASR-22) underway, 8 July 1973, during sea trials on the Delaware River.
    US Navy photo K-100595
    Scott Koen
    Ortolan
    09322230
    108k USS Ortolan (ASR-22) commissioning, 14 July 1973, at Naval Base Philadelphia, PA. Joe Neumann
    Ortolan
    09322231
    119k
    Ortolan
    09322232
    109k
    Ortolan
    09322233
    120k
    Ortolan
    09322234
    120k
    Ortolan
    09322235
    129k
    Ortolan
    09322236
    121k
    Ortolan
    09322237
    130k
    Ortolan
    09322238
    57k USS Ortolan (ASR-22) drydocked at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Philadelphia, PA. in 1973 Joe Neumann
    Ortolan
    09322239
    92k USS Ortolan (ASR-22) mooring buoys and cradles, Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Philadelphia, PA., 1074 Joe Neumann
    Ortolan
    09322240
    55k
    Ortolan
    09322241
    84k USS Ortolan (ASR-22) moored pierside at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Philadelphia, PA. in 1974. Joe Neumann
    Ortolan 85k USS Ortolan (ASR-22) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo
    NAFTS
    National Association
    of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Ortolan 75k USS Ortolan (ASR-22) underway, circa 1974, location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, March 1975
    Joe Radigan
    Ortolan 78k USS Ortolan (ASR-22) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo
    Tom Langford
    Ortolan 94k USS Ortolan (ASR-22) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "NAVSEA Journal."
    Bob Bush
    Ortolan 133k USS Ortolan (ASR-22) underway, date and location unknown.
    A copy of this photo is available from Atlantic Fleet Sales, Norfolk, VA.
    Photo ©Atlantic Fleet Sales
    Submitted by Robert M. Cieri
    Ortolan
    09322243
    161k USS Ortolan (ASR-22) docked at Naval Station Charleston, S.C., 21 February 1984. The frigate USS Joseph Hewes (FF-1078) is moored at left.
    U.S. National Archives Identifier (NAID) 6456557, a US Navy photo by Don S. Montgomery, USN (Ret.), now in the collections of the U.S. National Archives.
    Robert Hurst
    Ortolan 382k USS Ortolan (ASR-22), R/V Atlantis (AGOR-25) and Submersible Research Vessel Alvin DSV-2), Fleet Week 1990, New York or Boston. Ron Reeves
    MARAD James River Group Reserve Fleet
    Ortolan 87k From left to right; ex-USS Kittiwake (ASR-13), ex-USCGC Escape (WMEC-6), ex-USS Ortolan (ASR-22) and an unidentified AKR, Large, Medium Speed Roll on/Roll off ship, laid up in reserve in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA., 8 April 2009 Photo by Mike Hibbard
    Ortolan 119k From left to right; ex-USCGC Escape (WMEC-6), ex-USS Ortolan (ASR-22) and an unidentified AKR, Large, Medium Speed Roll on/Roll off ship laid up in reserve in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA., 8 April 2009 Photo by Mike Hibbard
    Ortolan 106k Ex-USS Ortolan (ASR-22) Bow view, showing floats and midship view, showing deck gantry over DSRV cradle, while laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA., 8 April 2009 Photos by Mike Hibbard
    Ortolan 156k
    Ortolan 87k From right to left; ex-USS Kittiwake (ASR-13), ex-USCGC Escape (WMEC-6), and ex-USS Ortolan (ASR-22) laid up in reserve in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA., 9 April 2009 Photo by Mike Hibbard
    Ortolan 102k From left to right; ex-USS Cape Cod (AD-43), ex-USNS Harkness (T-AGS-32), ex-USS Kittiwake (ASR-13), ex-USCGC Escape (WMEC-6), and ex-USS Ortolan (ASR-22) laid up in reserve in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA., 9 April 2009 Photo by Mike Hibbard
    Ortolan 54k Ex- USS Ortolan (ASR-22) being towed out of the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, 20 July 2009, bound for ESCO Marine, Brownsville, TX. for scrapping. Robert Hurst
    Ortolan 100k Ex- USS Ortolan (ASR-22) moored at ESCO Marine in Brownsville, TX. awaiting the ship breakers torch, August 2009. Mike Hibbard, Courtesy ESCO Marine web site
    Ortolan 119k Ex- USS Ortolan (ASR-22) moored at ESCO Marine in Brownsville, TX. awaiting the ship breakers torch, 2009. Tommy Trampp, Courtesy ESCO Marine web site

    During a strong storm while undergoing sea trials Ortolan (ASR-22) twin hulls suffered extensive hull damage requiring damage control wood shoring to prevent hull deformation. The twin hulls were acting like a venturi with a large volume of water trying to pass between the hulls. The center well folding deck hatches for the Deep-submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) were eventually destroyed and there was a geyser coming through the deck opening with each wave. A hull foil was designed and installed between the two hulls. The two ASR-21 Submarine Rescue Ships Pigeon (ASR-21) was drydocked at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, San Francisco, CA., and Ortolan (ASR-22) was drydocked at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Philadelphia, PA. in 1974 and the hull foils were installed. These are photos of the Ortolan while in drydock for hull foil installation.
    Hull Foil Installation
    Ortolan
    09322217
    Ortolan
    09322218
    Ortolan
    09322219
    Ortolan
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    Ortolan
    09322221
    Ortolan
    09322223

    Additional Ship's Patch
    Ortolan
    1973 Ship's Slogan
    Contributed by Joe Neumann

    USS Ortolan (ASR-22)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Taw, Louis M.14 July 1973 - 30 August 1973
    02CDR. Ramsay, Robert Winton30 August 1973 - 14 August 1976
    03CDR. Esau, Anthony Christopher, USN (USNA 1961)14 August 1976 - 21 February 1979
    04CDR. Griggs, Carlton Albert21 February 1979 - 20 June 1981
    05CDR. Paul, Thomas Walder 20 June 1981 - 19 October 1983
    06CDR. Babetz, Jeffrey Dale19 October 1983 - 24 May 1985
    07CDR. Otto, David Thomas24 May 1985 - 25 November 1987
    08CDR. Landers, Michael John25 November 1987 - 5 July 1990
    09CDR. Armstrong, Peter Arthur5 July 1990 - 22 June 1992
    10CDR. Clark, Brian Gregory22 June 1992 - 8 April 1994
    11CDR. Leary, David Allen8 April 1994 - 30 March 1995
    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
    USS Ortolan (ASR-22) Commissioning Program
    MARAD Vessel History Database
    National Register Eligibility Assessment

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    Last Updated 17 March 2023