USS Petrel (ASR-14)

The fifth USS "Petrel" (ASR-14) was a submarine rescue ship in the United States Navy.

"Petrel" was laid down 26 February 1945, was built by Savannah Machine Foundry Co., Savannah, Georgia; launched 26 September 1945; sponsored by Mrs. Effie Jeffreys (In honour of her son, MMC Romie L Jeffreys, who died along with all hands on the submarine SS-174 Shark, Feb.11,1942.; and commissioned at Savannah 24 September 1946, Lt. Dennis Hima in command.

After fitting out at Charleston, South Carolina and shakedown at Guantanamo and Panama Bays, "Petrel" returned to Charleston 18 December 1946. She sailed for New London 6 January 1947 to join SubRon 2, and operated out of that base for the next 3 years training and qualifying deep-sea divers and salvage crews, and escorting submarines such as "Piper" and "Cochino" in tests.

Departing New London 23 January 1950, she steamed off Old Point Comfort, Virginia, where the battleship "Missouri" (BB 63) had run aground. Divers from "Petrel" surveyed and excavated around the bottom of the battleship, and on 1 February "Petrel" aided in the “big pull” that drew "Missouri" into deep water. After this operation, "Petrel" returned to New London 6 February but was reassigned to Key West 5 May.

"Petrel" continued training operations, with SubRon 4, at Key West throughout the 1950s, with occasional variations. Exercises in 1952 included re-floating the ex-German sub "U–2513". She towed "U–2513" off Dry Tortuga Flats in October 1950 to be sunk in firing exercises by the destroyer "Owens" (DD–827). In 1956, "Petrel" had a key role in freeing "Nantahala", aground in Key West Channel.

On 14 February 1958, "Petrel" received a distress call at Key West from the submarine "Guavina" (SSO–362), stranded in heavy seas off San Salvador, Bahama Islands. Steaming to the area and off-loading some of "Guavina’s" oil cargo, "Petrel" towed the lightened sub to Key West. "Petrel" continued to operate along the Atlantic coast of the southern United States until sailing in early 1961 for the Mediterranean for exercises with SubDiv 41, 6th Fleet in June and operated off Portugal in salvage operations after a DC-8 passenger airplane crash. "Petrel" returned to Charleston 28 August for coastal operations until she again joined the 6th Fleet from January to May 1964. She departed Charleston 12 July for Hamilton, Bermuda, where she aided the U.S. Air Force in recovering wreckage and personnel from a two-plane, mid-air collision. Highlights of subsequent coastal service included accompanying "Von Steuben" in sea trials in September, work with "Sam Rayburn" in April 1965, and duty at Guantanamo 28–30 September and during hurricane “Inez”.

"Petrel" departed New London 6 January 1966 for Holy Loch, Scotland, with "Saugus" (YTB–780) in tow. On 17 January, an Air Force B-52, carrying 4 unarmed nuclear weapons, collided with a KC-135 off Palomares, Spain. "Petrel" was sent to the area to aid in salvage operations and had the delicate task of maintaining position over the bomb. The weapon was brought to the surface 7 April, by the deep-sea submersible "Alvin", placed on "Petrel", and transferred to the "Cascade". [Melson, June 1967, p.33] "Petrel" then returned to Charleston.

Deployed to the Mediterranean again in 1968, "Petrel" searched for the lost Israeli submarine INS "Dakar" 26 January, and missing French submarine "Minerve" on the 30th. On 12 February, she helped salvage destroyer "Bache" (DD 470) at Rhodes, Greece. After return to Charleston in May, she joined in the search for missing submarine USS "Scorpion" the 27th, and returned to Charleston from the Azores 12 July. She continues operations with SubDiv 41 into 1970.

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