USS Grapple (ARS-7)
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| History | |
|---|---|
 United States
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| Builder: | Basalt Rock Company |
| Laid down: | date unknown |
| Launched: | 31 December 1942 |
| Commissioned: | 16 December 1943 |
| Decommissioned: | 30 August 1946 |
| In service: | 20 December 1951 |
| Out of service: | date unknown |
| Struck: | 1 December 1977 |
| Fate: | Sold to Taiwan, 1 December 1977 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage: | 1,441 tons |
| Displacement: | 1,630 tons |
| Length: | 213 ft 6 in (65.07 m) |
| Beam: | 39 ft (12 m) |
| Draught: | 14 ft 4 in (4.37 m) |
| Propulsion: | diesel-electric, twin screws, 2,780 hp |
| Speed: | 15 knots (28 km/h) |
| Complement: | 120 |
| Armament: | two 40 mm AA gun mounts; four .50 cal. machine guns |
USS Grapple (ARS-7) was a Diver-class rescue and salvage ship commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II. She was responsible for coming to the aid of stricken vessels.
Grapple (ARS-7) was launched by Basalt Rock Company in Napa, California, 31 December 1942; sponsored by Mrs. Thomas D. Rose; and commissioned 16 December 1943 at Vallejo, California, Lt. Robert Fisher in command.
One of the first ships designed to operate as a combat-salvage vessel, Grapple conducted shakedown off the California coast until 15 February 1944 when she sailed for Pearl Harbor with barge YW-69 in tow. With three barges in tow, she departed Pearl 21 March 1944, proceeded via Majuro and Tarawa to Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, Florida Island, and Guadalcanal.
There Grapple performed miscellaneous screening exercises and readied for her part in the upcoming invasion of Guam, another step in America's sweep to victory across the Pacific. On 15 June she came under enemy attack for the first time as three Japanese dive bombers came out of the sun in a surprise attack. Alert antiaircraft crews shot down one of them and seriously damaged another.
Grapple cleared Kwajalein, staging area for the Guam assault, on 15 July, then 6 days later was standing off Guam in support of the first wave of assault troops. Her vital salvage work at Guam included pulling stranded landing craft off the beaches and repairing damaged ships, usually within range of enemy fire. Demolition crews from Grapple, also performed the important work of clearing the Apra Harbor entrance of a Japanese freighter sunk by American bombers. After the consolidation of Guam, Grapple returned to Espiritu Santo via Eniwetok for repairs and preparation for next major assault.
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