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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Mender (ARSD-2)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Foxtrot - November - Quebec
 NFNQ
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal
Bottom Row - Korean Service Medal (2) - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)
Gypsy Class Salvage Lifting Vessel:
  • Authorized as LSM-550
  • Reclassified ARSD-2, 24 April 1945
  • Named Mender, 1 May 1945
  • Laid down, 25 August 1945, at Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston, TX.
  • Launched, 7 December 1945
  • Commissioned USS Mender (ARSD-2), 8 March 1946, LCDR A. V. Swarthout in command
  • USS Mender (ARSD-2) was assigned to Joint Task Force 1, Task Unit 1.2.7 Target Vessel Group - Salvage Units for Operation Crossroads the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in July 1946
  • Decommissioned, 21 January 1948, at San Diego, CA.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group
  • Recommissioned, 12 September 1951
  • During the Korean War USS Mender (ARSD-2) participated in the following campaigns:

    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Second Korean Winter
    13 to 24 April 1952     		Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952
    26 June 1953
    6 to 16 July 1952
    23 July to 1 August 1952
    33 to 30 August 1952
  • Decommissioned, 20 December 1955, at Astoria, OR.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Columbia River Group, Astoria
  • Transferred, date unknown, to Pacific Reserve Fleet San Diego Group
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 June 1973
  • USS Mender (ARSD-2) earned two battle stars for Korean War service
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping by the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS), 1 January 1974
    LSM Specifications:
    Displacement 520 t.(light), 743 t. (landing) 1,095 t.(fully loaded)
    Length 203' 6" (ovl)
    Beam 34' 6"
    Draft
    light, 3' 6" forward, 7' 8" aft
    fully loaded, 6' 4" forward, 8' 3" aft
    Speed 13.2 kts. (max.), (928 tons displacement)
    Complement
    5 officers
    54 enlisted
    Armament
    one twin bow mounted 40mm gun
    four single 20mm gun mounts
    Vehicle/Boat Capacity 5 medium or 3 heavy tanks, or 6 LVT's, or 9 DUKW's
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 1,225 Bbls
    Troop Accommodations
    2 officers
    46 enlisted
    Armor 10-lb. STS splinter shield to gun mounts, pilot house and conning station
    Endurance 4,900 miles @ 12kts.(928 tons displacement)
    Propulsion
    two Fairbanks Morse (model 38D81/8X10, reversible with hydraulic clutch) Diesel engines, direct drive with 1,440 BHP each @ 720rpm
    Ship's Service Generators
     two Diesel-drive 100Kw 450V A.C.
     one Diesel-drive 20Kw 120V D.C.
    twin propellers, 2,800shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Mender 82k USS Mender (ARSD-2) underway, circa 1954. USS LSM /LSMR Association
    Mender
    09330202    		 127k USS Mender (ARSD-2) underway, date unknown US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Mender
    09330203    		 127k USS Mender (ARSD-2) and USS Salvager (ARS(D)-3) attempting to raise the capsized survey ship Kellar (AGS-25) at New Orleans, LA., after Hurricane "Betsy" in September 1965.
    U.S. Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine December 1965, p. 4    		 Robert Hurst
    USS Mender (ARSD-2)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Swarthout, Avery Victor, USN8 March 1946 - ?
     Decommissioned21 January 1948 - 12 September 1951
    03LCDR. Jones Leslie, USNAugust 1952 - ?
    04LCDR. Stensrud, John Donald, USNno dates
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 13 October 2023