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

Contributed by Al Grazevich

YMLC-4
ex
 USS Windlass (ARSD-4) (1946 - 1967)

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Cuba)
Gypsy Class Salvage Lifting Vessel:
  • Authorized as LSM-552
  • Redesignated ARSD-4, 24 April 1945
  • Named Windlass, 1 May 1945
  • Laid down, 27 August 1945, at Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston, TX.
  • Launched, 7 December 1945
  • Commissioned USS Windlass (ARSD-4), 9 April 1946, LCDR Rodney F Snipes, USNR in command
  • Decommissioned, 23 November 1965, at New Orleans, LA.
  • Converted to a non-self propelled vessel in 1966
  • Redesignated Salvage Craft Medium YMLC-4, 16 October 1967
  • Placed in service in December 1967
  • Placed out of service, date unknown
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 August 1972
    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
    Windless 86k USS Windlass (ARSD-4) underway in 1959, location unknown. USS LSM /LSMR Association
    Baldwin 101k USS Baldwin (DD-624) at right during operations to refloat her at Montauk Point, Long Island, N.Y., at 1030 hrs. 28 April 1961. The "mothballed" destroyer had broken free from her towline, 16 April 1961, and drifted ashore. Among the ships engaged in the salvage effort are USS Hoist (ARS-40), USS Salvager (ARSD-3), USS Windlass (ARSD-4) and fleet tug USS Luiseno (ATF-156). photographed from an aircraft based at Naval Air Station Quonset Point, R. I. Baldwin was towed seaward by USS Luiseno (ATF-156), bottom left, and USS Recovery (ARS-43), top left, and sunk by their gunfire, in 200 fathoms. Both Salvager and Windlass (ARSD-4), participated in towing her off the beach.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 99108    		 Robert Hurst
    Baldwin 311k USS Windlass (ARSD-4) prepares to pull the stranded reserve fleet destroyer USS Baldwin (DD-624) off Montauk Point, Long Island.
    US Navy photo from "Mud, Muscle, and Miracles" by Captain Charles A. Batholomew, USN and Commander William I. Milwee, Jr., USN, (Ret).    		 Robert Hurst
    Windless 53k USS Windlass (ARSD-4) and USS Salvager (ARSD-3) working together.
    US Navy photo.    		 USS LSM /LSMR Association
    Windless 83k USS Windlass (ARSD-4) at anchor, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, November 1962    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Windless 72k USS Windlass (ARSD-4) underway, 26 May 1964, location unknown. USS LSM /LSMR Association
    Windless 212k USS Windlass (ARSD-4) at anchor, date and location unknown.
    Photo Ted Stone, from "Jane's Fighting Ships" 1961-62 edition.    		 Robert Hurst
    USS Windlass (ARSD-4)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Snipes, Rodney Fred, USN9 April 1946 - ?
    02LCDR. Thurman, Robert Kenneth, USN? - 1950
    03LCDR. Eirich, Norman Campbell, USN1955
    04LCDR. Askin Jr., Thomas Barwise Hagston, USN1962 - 26 September 1963
    05LT. Thomas, Jack Roger, USN26 September 1963 - 2 December 1963
    06LCDR. Dowds, Donald Hubert, USN2 December 1963 - 1965
    07LT. McNeff1965 - 1965
    08LT. Thomas, Don Fred, USN1965 - August 1965
    09LCDR. Turnbull, James Robert, USNAugust 1965 - 23 November 1965
    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
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    Last Updated 17 September 2021