USS Grasp Decommissioned,Transfered to Military Sealift Command

Navy NewsStand ^ | Jan 19, 2006 | Journalist 3rd Class Davis J. Anderson

[SandRat]

NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- The recovery and salvage ship USS Grasp (ARS 51) was decommissioned after 20 years of service and transferred to Military Sealift Command (MSC) in a ceremony at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek Jan. 19.

Past and present crew members attended the 11 a.m. ceremony to say farewell to the ship.

“There’s always a little bit of sadness at the end of a career,” said Grasp’s executive officer Lt. Cmdr. Andrew Chicoine, “at the same time, people are looking forward to the next part of their life.”

As a U.S. Navy ship, Grasp had a crew of approximately 100 Sailors. As an MSC asset, the ship will now have a crew of 26 civilian mariners and four enlisted military personnel.

According to many on board, the relatively small crew enabled them to come together more so than on other ships.

“There’s only about 100 Sailors here,” said Gunner’s Mate First Class (SW) Deshawn Carter, chief master at arms and weapons and force protection leading petty officer for the ship. “We just came off a six-month deployment,” said Carter, “more than anything it’s difficult to leave such a tight knit group.”

Grasp’s senior enlisted advisor, Master Chief Engineman (SW) Scott Sheldon, echoed this sentiment.

“It’s a lot more personal here (aboard Grasp),” said Sheldon. “You get to know everybody. You have your agreements and disagreements.”

“These last two-and-a-half years onboard Grasp have been the highlight of my career,” said Cmdr. Brian Moum, Grasp’s last commanding officer.

Following decommissioning Grasp will enter an extensive maintenance period during which it will be converted for operation by the civilian mariners.

After the shipyard period, the ship will begin a training phase designed to provide the ship’s civilian crew with experience operating with embarked military mobile diving and salvage units. Additional changes to the engineering plant and bridge equipment will allow operation by the smaller civilian crew.

[SandRat]

The salvage ship USS Grasp (ARS 51) pulls into the Taranto Naval Base Mar Grande to participate in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) submarine escape and rescue exercise Sorbet Royal 2005.

050617-N-1464F-001 Tarano, Italy (June 17, 2005) – The salvage ship USS Grasp (ARS 51) pulls into the Taranto Naval Base Mar Grande to participate in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) submarine escape and rescue exercise Sorbet Royal 2005. Grasp transported the Atmospheric Diving System 2000 (ADS 2000), Submarine Rescue Chamber Eight (SRC 8) along with members of the U.S. Navy's deep submergence unit. Twenty-seven participating nations, including 14 NATO nations will test their capabilities and interoperability. Four submarines with up to 52 crewmembers aboard will be placed on the bottom of the ocean, while rescue forces with rescue vehicles and systems work together to solve complex disaster rescue problems.
U.S. Navy photo by Chief Journalist Dave Fliesen (RELEASED)

[PAR35]

So 100 sailors can be replaced by a crew of 40 when most of the replacements are civilians? I didn't know the US Navy was unionized.

[Paleo Conservative]

So 100 sailors can be replaced by a crew of 40 when most of the replacements are civilians? I didn't know the US Navy was unionized.

It's doing a different job.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

My first Ship, the USS Barney DDG-6, went to Taranto Italy. Anawesome and impressive arrival. You travel into a narrow channel opening which is bordered on one side by a cliff with what looks like almost a castle.

We were the first US Naval Vessel to pull into Taranto since WWII.

I save zero dollars on that deployment because we were in a NATO task force and pulled into every port imaginable every weekend. What a blast.

For those not familiar with Taranto's location it is in the arch of the boot of Italy.

[PAR35]

It's doing a different job.

I don't think so. Wasn't it doing salvage work before? Because that's what it's going to be doing in the future:

"After the shipyard period, the ship will begin a training phase designed to provide the ship’s civilian crew with experience operating with embarked military mobile diving and salvage units."

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

The 40 civilians make the ship go from point A to point B. Then when they need to accomplish a salvage or recovery mission a detatchment of military, read SAILORS, embark and the civilians take them there.

As opposed to all persons being attached to the ship fulltime.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

This realignment, in theory, would allow the Navy to have (and this is not the true numbers but an example of what they are trying to accomplish) 4 salvage shipsa and 2 salvage crews.

If a salvage operation were neccessary they would move the crew to the ship that is pre-positioned in an area of responsibility.

It's not because you don't need 100 persons to conduct the salbage or recovery operation. It's because the Nav think they can do the mission by moving crews to a pre-positioned ship.

Some of our underway replenishment ships (fuel and food delivery ships) operate this way. They are part of the USNS fleet and have a similiar crew arrangement.

[cva66snipe]

So 100 sailors can be replaced by a crew of 40 when most of the replacements are civilians? I didn't know the US Navy was unionized.

IT may not be unionized but the Pentagon has been on a routine basis for about 15 yeas or so decommissioning some ships {including an aircraft carrier or two right at their half life point. This is being done while older ones remain in commission and at the end of their life are not relaced.

Take a look at this site and the ships. Look at the years from commission to decommission. This one had at least another 20 or more years service left when compared to other ships of it's service classification. http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/s_ARS.htm

[cva66snipe]

The 40 civilians make the ship go from point A to point B. Then when they need to accomplish a salvage or recovery mission a detatchment of military, read SAILORS, embark and the civilians take them there. As opposed to all persons being attached to the ship fulltime.

But the whole point in the Navy manning the ship to start with is readiness training. The guys on the salvage practice what is called Damage Control. IOW The can assist the ship they go on. Training is everything for efficient Naval Operations. I don't know about now but used to be even USNS ships such as Oilers were manned by Navy crews. In other words a oiler coming up at sea to fuel a ship would have Navy Bosun's at the rigging.

[FreedomCalls]

This one had at least another 20 or more years service left when compared to other ships of it's service classification.

Maybe now it's going to be doing classified work for one of the "three letter agencies."

[cva66snipe]

For those not familiar with Taranto's location it is in the arch of the boot of Italy.

I was there I think in 79. You did not cross the bridge at fleet landing to the other part of town. I remember that much.

[cva66snipe]

Maybe now it's going to be doing classified work for one of the "three letter agencies."

Nah the Navy usually let them go along for the ride especially on research ships. USS PUEBLO did a spook operation {cruise} right before heading toward International Waters off North Korea. I think I'm right on that as their equipment was not meant for sea duty and it caused a mess setting up for them. I remember reading about it.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

I'm not arguing the theory, and I know the USNS ships are reversed from this proposal (the oilers have squids moving the vessel and civilians doing the unrep work), just trying to explain the thinking to someone who believed from the story that 40 civilians were going to do the job of 100 squids.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

And we anchorage ass in.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

anchorage=anchored

[cva66snipe]

I'm not arguing the theory, and I know the USNS ships are reversed from this proposal (the oilers have squids moving the vessel and civilians doing the unrep work), just trying to explain the thinking to someone who believed from the story that 40 civilians were going to do the job of 100 squids.

Understood :>} I just wish the Pentagon would stop spreading things too thin.

We had to anchor out in every single port I ever went into ecept in Marsile {SP} France that had a pier big enough. For my liking Palma or Malaga would have been better. I didn't care for France.

Most unusual port was Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia. A trip into a communist nation. It was also where we were anchored and got smacked broadside by an undetected bad storm. We were about a mile off shore when we started dragging anchor. It very likely set a record time for getting an aircraft carrier underway at peace time. We left our boats there and come back later to pick up the rest of the crew.

[XR7]

Probably the last USN ship with an all-male crew.
It had to go.

[PAR35]

This one is interesting in that it is being decommissioned, but apparently will remain in service as a USNS with a civilian crew with a 'military' (note they didn't specify naval) team on board.

[PAR35]

Your explanation makes some sense, but one would have to know what percentage of the naval crew of 100 was devoted to ship operations and what percentage was devoted to the salvage. If you are correct, it would probably be that the 26 civilians will handle ship operations, and the 4 sailors will look after the salvage equipment and any weapons.

[John O]

This one had at least another 20 or more years service left when compared to other ships of it's service classification.

And those years will be used in MSC status. They aren't scrapping her, just using our sailors more efficiently