USS Conserver

USS Conserver was a acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II. Her task was to come to the aid of stricken vessels.
Conserver was launched 27 January 1945 by Basalt Rock Company in Napa, California; sponsored by Mrs. H. Price; and commissioned 9 June 1945 at South Vallejo, California.

End-of-World War II operations

Conserver arrived at Sasebo, Japan, 21 September 1945, and until 3 March 1946, she carried out salvage operations at Sasebo, Okinawa, Yokosuka, Aomori, and Hakodate in support of the occupation.

Participation in nuclear testing

After preparations at Pearl Harbor, Conserver arrived at Bikini Atoll 29 March. She served in the Marshall Islands, aiding in Operation Crossroads, the atomic weapons tests of 1946, until 2 September 1947, when she arrived at Manila for duty in the Philippines. From 9 April 1948 to 26 September, she served in Hawaiian waters, and then in Alaskan waters, returning to Pearl Harbor 13 January 1949.

Korean War era operations

From Pearl Harbor, Conserver returned to operate off Alaska between 14 April 1949 and 7 June, and from 10 December to 25 March 1950. With the outbreak of the Korean War, she arrived at Yokosuka 15 July, and between 15 July and 1 August carried out salvage and diving assignments in Korean waters. After a brief overhaul at Yokosuka, she salvaged a fuel pipeline at Iwo Jima, and from 10 September until 24 December returned to Korean waters.
After a final towing voyage from Japan to Korea in January 1951, Conserver returned to local operations at Pearl Harbor from 16 February to 28 May. After salvage duty at Kwajalein and Majuro, she returned to Pearl Harbor to prepare for her second tour of duty in the Korean War. She arrived at Sasebo 27 September, and operated primarily in Korean waters until 7 May 1952, when she cleared for San Diego, California.
After operating on the U.S. West Coast until 4 August 1952, Conserver sailed for brief duty at Pearl Harbor, Kwajalein, Guam, Subic Bay, Bangkok, Singapore, and Sangley Point, returning to Pearl Harbor 22 October. On 6 April 1953, she returned to Sasebo for duty in Korean waters until 9 November, when she cleared for Pearl Harbor.

Post-Korean War activity

From the close of the Korean war through 1960, Conserver alternated operations in the Hawaiian Islands with occasional towing and salvage duty in Pacific islands and tours of duty in the Far East in 1954, 1955, 1955–56, 1957, 1958–59, 1959, and 1960.
Between 20 September 1958 and 20 October, she gave salvage and towing service off Taiwan as American ships stood by during the Quemoy Crisis.
The Conserver participated in Operation Dominic between 25 April - 11 July 11, 1962 as a part of West Pac which involved nuclear testing near Christmas Island.
The Conserver also saw duty as part of Task Force 71 of the US Seventh Fleet in search of Korean Air Lines Flight 007 shot down by the Soviets off Sakhalin Island on 1 Sept. 1983.
LCDR Joseph Sensi jr. served as commanding officer for her last two years of service.
Former Florida State Senator Richard Renick and comedian Ron White served on Conserver during their naval service.

Decommissioning

Conserver was decommissioned twice. Her first decommissioning occurred on 30 September 1986. She was re-commissioned one year later on 30 September 1987. Her final decommissioning took place on 1 April 1994. She was struck from the Naval Register 1 April 1994 and laid up in the Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Final Disposition, Conserver was sunk as a SINKEX target on or about 13 November 2004 in the Hawaii area.

Military awards and honors

USS Conserver was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East:

MEDAL/ACTION	DATES
Navy Occupation Service Medal:	12 September 1945 to 21 February 1946
China Service Medal :	2 to 5 April 1956

Conserver received nine battle stars for Korean War service:

MEDAL/ACTION	DATES
North Korean Aggression:	18 to 29 July 1950, 18 September to 2 November 1950
Communist China Aggression:	3 to 13 November 1950, 25 November 1950
Inchon Landing:	15 to 17 September 1950
First UN Counter Offensive:	25 to 28 January 1951
UN Summer-Fall Offensive:	30 October to 12 November 1951
Second Korean Winter:	19 December 1951 to 6 January 1952, 2 February to 2 March 1952, 14 March 1952, 18 March 1952, 12 to 30 April 1952.
Third Korean Winter:	8 to 30 April 1953
Korea, Summer-Fall 1953:	1 to 2 May 1953, 10 to 27 July 1953

She received the following campaign stars for the Vietnam War:

MEDAL/ACTION	DATES
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II:	23 November to 16 December 1966, 25 to 31 January 1967
Tet Counteroffensive:	27 March to 1 April 1968
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV:	2 to 15 April 1968, 14 May to 7 June 1968, 10 to 30 June 1968
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V:	1 to 11 July 1969
Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969:	3 to 14 August 1969, 20 August to 10 October 1969
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII:	23 August to 8 September 1970, 16 September to 13 October 1970, 26 October to 9 November 1970, 18 to 24 November 1970

Her crew was eligible for the following medals, ribbons, and commendations:

Health Effects

Asbestos was used in the construction of the USS Conserver. Those who served aboard her before her 1986-1987 overhaul and recommissioning may have been exposed to asbestos, mercury, and trichloroethylene. Sailors who participated in Operation Crossroads or Operation Dominic while aboard the Conserver may have been exposed to radiation related to nuclear bomb testing.