US Navy Divers & Their Related Commands ARS, ASR, ATF, ATA, etc

15,493 · November 7, 2014

Aloha Everyone,

Feel free to add on your own examples of US Navy diving patches including the relative commands, stations and vessels that USN divers have served with.

I'll start off with some of my own from the 1970's when I was a junk boat sailor.

15,493 · November 7, 2014

Most of these were removed from uniforms, jackets or coveralls when they were ditched or recycled

U.S. NAVY DIVER WE DIVE THE WORLD OVER

Original United States Navy Divers Association 1970

Harbor Clearance Unit One "It's Hard to Be Humble"

Flyaway Mixed Gas Team

One you don't see often, the Reserve Harbor Clearance Unit Hawaii circa 1970's

....and the then "new" MK 12 developed by the NEDU

Navy Experimental Diving Unit based in Panama City, Florida

This one got snagged on something

Submarine Base Pearl Harbor Hawaii Diving Locker

....and this came off of set of USN OD coveralls I still have in my seabag.

U.S. NAVAL SHIP REPAIR FACILITY YOKOSUKA JAPAN - NAN DEMO DEKIMASU "We Can Do Anything"

Original Japanese made - You see many of these copied (poorly) and sold on ebay

November 8, 2014

Great patches! Thanks for sharing.

15,493 · November 8, 2014

Not military, but we would use these stickers on stuff too, Circa 1972

6,932 · November 18, 2014

I found these that appear to be US Navy diver related patches.

Another one

5,626 · November 25, 2014

Here is a couple of mine.

Another,

1,541 · November 30, 2014

I forgot I had this one. It is a jacket removed patch.It is a large patch at least 6 inches across.

Mitch

6,932 · November 30, 2014

Here is another oversized patch for the back of a jacket which I believe is Japanese made.

These were I believe made in the Philippines post SVN War.

Last one also I believe made in the Philippines.

15,493 · December 4, 2014

EODGRUPAC

Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group Pacific

EODGRUPAC

15,493 · December 4, 2014

1967 - The first DDS & SDS-450 Deep Diving System was placed in Fleet Service by Harbor Clearance Unit One

15,493 · December 4, 2014

These were I believe made in the Philippines post SVN War.

You must have noticed that both these two (2) patches and the other Japanese example you posted are misspelled

6,932 · December 4, 2014

You must have noticed that both these two (2) patches and the other Japanese example you posted are misspelled

Nope I didn't notice this so I would imagine no self respecting Naval EOD sailor is going to wear misspelled insignia. Here is another patch in my collection.

15,493 · January 2, 2015

Here is a couple of mine.

image.jpg

Hink,

Someday I'll find that one.....

15,493 · January 2, 2015

Aloha Everyone,

USN Divers could be members of a number of shore establishments including SRF's, Submarine commands, Station & Shipyard diving lockers, EOD, HCU-1 & HCU-2 (later MDSU-1/2), Service Force (SERVPAC, SERVLANT, SERVRONS), Weapons and Scientific development labs, etc. They were also assigned to diving lockers on AD, AR & AS type ships.

But from WWII to the 1990's their primary seaborne billets were on ARS's (Rescue Salvage), ASR's (Submarine Rescue), ATF’s (Fleet Tugs) and other seagoing tug type vessels - ATA, ATR & ATS.

Rather than post any or all patches (like the ones shown below) for these ships, I’ll begin by posting those with diving themes depicted upon them.

15,493 · January 2, 2015

The Diver Class Rescue Salvage Vessels 1942-1945

For 50 years the workhorse of the USN Salvage forces was the Diver Class ARS built by Basalt Rock company in Napa, California. In 1942, these vessels were specifically designed for towing, diving, rescue and salvage work around the globe. Longer and with a shallower draft than an ATF, Diver class ships were made for pulling with their large bladed twin screws (whereas an ATF was single screw). In addition to Beach Gear, 8 Ells anchors, a full repair shop and automatic towing machine, an ARS also had a full dive locker aboard including a recompression chamber

This is the three-war veteran USS ESCAPE (ARS-6), second in the class commissioned in 1943. During the 1960's she was a primary recovery vessel for NASA and support for oceanographic missions. She remained in USN service until 1978 when she was re-flagged as the USCGC ESCAPE (WMEC-6). ESCAPE served as a Coast Guard cutter until 1995.

USS ESCAPE (ARS-6) 1943-1978 Three war rescue salvage vessel

U.S. Coast Guard USCGC ESCAPE (WMEC-6) 1978-1995

More USS ESCAPE items from my collection

15,493 · January 2, 2015

USS PRESERVER (ARS-8) was commissioned in January 1944 and served until 1992. She had a typical Diver class history, Saipan, Tinian, struck by a bomb at Leyte Gulf and on to Tokyo. Service at Bikini for the Atom tests, on to Korea, then Arctic, Space and fleet service throughout the Cold War. She also was the support ship for the Bathyscaph which found the remains of USS THRESHER (SSN-593).

This is a silk patch made in the early 1950’s which was received from a Korean War crewman.

More PRESERVER items including the old and new plaque crest and a blue filled Japanese belt buckle

15,493 · January 2, 2015

USS CURRENT (ARS-22) Diver class in service 1944-1972

WWII, Atomic Tests, Korea, Arctic, Cold War, Vietnam - two battle stars for World War II service, three battle stars for Korean War service, and six campaign stars for Vietnam War service

Two original cut edge patches

Originals 1960's Vietnam Era

Nice bows on photo in her Vietnam configuration, shipboard made plaque and wardroom ashtrays

15,493 · January 2, 2015

USS DELIVER (ARS-23) Her motto – Continuous Service - as she was not decommissioned between the 1947 Atomic tests and the Korean war. In service 1944 to 1979 (I was at her decommissioning in Pearl Harbor)

This is a large line drawing I got from her PAO. In the photo you can clearly see her SERVRON FIVE shield at midships. Her ‘Continuous Service’ crest was on the port side.

More items

4,445 · September 15, 2015

Will be posting details in the medals section (soon)

Wharf

15,493 · September 15, 2015

Nice one Wharf,

They were made to be personalized by the crewmen. Here's one unnamed.

4,445 · September 16, 2015

Nice one Wharf,

The were made to be personalized by the crewmen. Here's one unnamed.

Nice patch, slightly different. Mahalo !

Wharf

15,493 · November 25, 2015

Diver Class USS GRASP (ARS-24) my first ship

Built by Basalt Rock as were most Divers, she was commissioned in August 1944 and sent immediately to Lingayen Gulf and the Philippine Sea where she splashed one zero. She continued service throughout the Korean war and was heavily involved in Arctic ops, Atomic testing and the Vietnam conflict. The Vulcan lighter has the GRASP shield on one side and a SERVRON 5 etching on the other. The Zippo lighter is mine dated 1976.

I'm not going to show the patch reverse on this one and the one on my work jacket are the only ones I've ever seen or had of this type and it's not (yet) being knocked-off by the "usual suspects".

Other items, Grasp in 1967 Vietnam configuration, my 1978 decommissioning bronze plaque and a painted plaque crest (She was transferred to South Korea in 1978)

...and this is the GRASP patch sewed onto my USN work jacket. I was quite reluctant to show this patch for many years but recently, I saw another one which sold on ebay and now the copies are reaching the marketplace. Still, I'm not going to cut it off and show the reverse side.....