USS Cable

History
United States
Name	USS Cable
Builder	Basalt Rock Company
Launched	1 April 1943
Commissioned	6 March 1944
Decommissioned	15 September 1947
Stricken	15 April 1977
Honours and; awards	3 battle stars & Navy Unit Commendation (World War II)
Fate	Sunk as a target, 7 August 1978
General characteristics
Class and type	Diver-class rescue and salvage ship
Displacement	1,630 long tons (1,656 t)
Length	213 ft 6 in (65.07 m)
Beam	39 ft (12 m)
Draft	14 ft 4 in (4.37 m)
Propulsion	Diesel-electric, twin screws, 2,780 hp (2,073 kW)
Speed	15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement	120
Armament	4 × 40 mm guns; 4 × machine guns;

USS Cable (ARS-19) was a

battle stars

and the Navy Unit Commendation.

Cable was launched 1 April 1943 by Basalt Rock Company in Napa, California; sponsored by Mrs. B. Elliott; and commissioned 6 March 1944.

World War II Pacific Theatre operations

Cable began her salvage and rescue work while still in

Kwajalein on her way to Milne Bay, New Guinea

.

Here she offered salvage and rescue services until sailing 10 August for Manus and Cairns, Australia, where she loaded firefighting and salvage teams. Continuing the lengthy process of invasion preparation, she sailed to Milne Bay to load firefighting equipment, and on 18 October put out from Hollandia, New Guinea, in a convoy of supply ships for the initial landings on Leyte.

Supporting the invasion of the Philippines

Many ships were damaged in the furious naval and air actions which accompanied the Leyte, and later the

Battle of Surigao Strait. Such duty in San Pedro Bay and Lingayen Gulf was followed by assignment to harbor clearance at Manila

through the spring of 1945.

Awarded the Navy Unit Commendation

Cable's devoted and skillful service in the Philippines was recognized with the award of the Navy Unit Commendation.

Supporting the Borneo invasion

Cable stood out of Manila Bay on 30 May 1945 where her repair facilities helped ready ships for the Borneo invasion. She steamed to Balikpapan for frontline support in July, and in August returned to the Philippines for continued service through 6 March 1946.

End-of-war activity

Homeward bound, she towed non-self-propelled

U.S. East Coast, Cable carried out salvage, rescue, and towing assignments in New England

waters until 15 September 1947.

Post-war decommissioning

In 1947 she was decommissioned at Boston, Massachusetts. She was loaned for commercial service the same day. She was sunk as a target on 7 August 1978.

Awards

In addition to the

battle stars

for World War II service.

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

External links

Photo gallery of Cable at NavSource Naval History
[1] Basalt Rock Company Shipbuilding History