Commissioning
Invitation - October 23, 1943
USS Diver
at Cherbourg after D-Day raising a blockship sunk by the nazis.
The Port
at Cherbourg after D-Day being rebuilt.
USS Diver's
WWII Voyage
WWII Battle Star |
Built by the Basalt Rock Co. of Napa, California, the keel of the U.S.S.
Diver was laid in dock 3, April 6, 1942. The hull was launched December
19 of that same year, with Mrs. Fletcher Young , wife of commander Fletcher
Young , attache of ASOS, San Fransisco, as sponsor. Departure from the
Basalt outfit docks was made on October 14, 1943 and her trial run was
made two days later. The U.S.S. Diver became officially part of the
U.S. Navy on October 23 , when she was commissioned at the Southern
Pacific Dock in South Vallejo California and placed under the command
of Lt. A. T. Terrio , U.S.N.
The passengers and crew aboard the USS Diver on her trial run were:
Lt. A. T. Terrio , Lt. Floyd H. Mathews , Lt. T. P. Soslowski , Lt.
J. F. Spang , Lt.-jg R. H. Burke , Bo'sn A. Askew , Mch. H. D. Hawks
Engineer Force: James J. McKeever , Maddux , Lively , Grosvenor
, Longstreet , Clemenson , Platt , Zieg??? and others not known at this
time.
Deck Force : Hoffman , Brockman , Tverstol , Oxford , Cramer , Burman
, LeBlanc , Leitch , Reisinger , and Robertson.
The USS Diver left the Southern Pacific Dock at South Vallejo California
and then travelled to the Mare Island Naval base to pick up supplies.
From there she travelled to Oakland , California , and to San Diego
, California before heading for the Panama Canal. Going through the
Panama Canal she headed next for Key West Florida. She then travelled
to Norkolk , Virginia for more supplies before heading to the Azore
Islands , Portugal.
The USS Diver arrived at Falmouth, England, from the Azore Islands,
Portugal on February 15, 1944. After 3 days of salvage training operations
at Rosneath Bay, Scotland. The Diver travelled throughout England on
missions to Portsmouth , Southhampton and other locations while her
main base was in London. She reported to Portland, England on March
27 , 1944, for preparations for the coming invasion of Normandy.
On June 26, 1944 she got underway for Baie de la Seine, France, where
she was attached to the Salvage, Wreck Disposal, Mine Disposal, and
Hydrographic Survey Unit. She rescued 30 survivors of the Norwegian
freighter Norfalk, sunk by mine while on her way to Cherbourg on July
20 and 21. She then reported for salvage operations at "Utah" and "Omaha"
beaches in Normandy. She arrived at Le Havre on November 11, 1944 to
continue her salvage work. Sailing to aid a torpedoed British transport
on December 28 , 1944 , the USS Diver struck an unmarked submerged obstacle
and returned to Le Havre for emergency repairs. Using wood and navy
mattresses, the crew made a temporary patch and headed for Dieppe. Permanent
repairs were made at Dieppe, from January 6 to January 21, 1945, after
which the USS Diver returned to Le Havre to continue her salvage
work.
The USS Diver sailed for Bremerhaven, Germany on June 15, 1945,
by way of Ostend, Belgium, and Den Helder, Holland. From her arrival
on June 22, 1945 she served as guard, ready duty, salvage, and local
escort vessel. On August 23, 1945 she moved to Brake, Germany, to stand
by for any damage to shipping in the Weser River.
She left Bremerhaven on October 4, 1945 with 41 naval passengers and
arrived at Norfolk on October 22, 1945 for overhaul. From February
9 to 16, 1946, the USS Diver was at New York to assist in relieving
the harbor congestion caused by a tugboat strike.
She served on towing duty between New London and Portsmouth, N.H., from
April 18 to May 13, 1946 and on May 27, 1946 arrived at Orange, Texas
where she was decommissioned on July 27, 1946. The USS Diver was sold
on April 12, 1949.
The USS Diver received one battle star for World War II service.
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