USS Snatch ( ARS - 27 ) USS " Snatch " ( ARS - 27 ) , well known as Scripps R / V " Argo " after conversion to scientific research , was a " Diver " - class rescue and salvage ship commissioned by the U . S . Navy during World War II and in service from 11 December 1944 through 23 December 1946 . Her task was to come to the aid of stricken vessels . The ship is better known from her scientific research role as the Scripps Institution of Oceanography ( SIO ) research vessel R / V " Argo " . It is that name , apparently not formally recognized by Navy that maintained title to the vessel , found in the scientific literature and public releases about her wide ranging research voyages . U . S . Naval Service . " Snatch " was laid down on 28 September 1943 by the Basalt Rock Company in Napa , California ; launched on 8 April 1944 ; sponsored by Mrs . S . B . Johnson ; and commissioned on 11 December 1944 . World War II service . " Snatch " conducted her shakedown cruise off San Diego , California , and returned to San Francisco , California from where she steamed on 20 February 1945 for Manus , Admiralty Islands . Under tow were the vessels ( Covered Lighter ( Self - propelled ) ) " YF - 622 " , " YF - 919 " , and " YF - 926 " . On 4 March , she ran into heavy seas which caused " 919 " and " 926 " to collide . " YF - 926 " was taking water and down by the bow . The seas were still rough three days later so the salvage ship changed course for Kealakekua Bay , Hawaii . " YF - 926 " sank on the 8th , the day before reaching port . Two days later , " Snatch " sailed to Pearl Harbor towing the remaining lighters . " Snatch " steamed to Eniwetok , Marshall Islands , on 17 March . From 5 to 9 April , she participated in salvage operations of " SS Esso Washington " which was grounded near the entrance of Eniwetok Passage . On the 14th , the ship steamed for Guam with a dredge and two barges in tow . En route , the vixen was diverted to Tinian , Mariana Islands , arriving on 23 April . On 15 May , she sailed for Leyte Gulf , Philippine Islands , calling at Ulithi to take " YF - 606 " and " YF - 1001 " in tow . " Snatch " operated in the Philippine Islands from 26 May to 30 December 1945 when she sailed for San Diego , California . She operated from there until 23 December 1946 when she was placed in reserve , out of commission , and berthed there . Military awards and honors . " Snatch ’ s " crew was eligible for the following medals : Scientific career as R / V " Argo " . The U . S . Navy , largely through the Office of Naval Research ( ONR ) , was a major funding source throughout the early days of oceanography . Up to 90 % of U . S . oceanographic research funding from 1946 through 1965 came from Navy with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography being one of the notable research facilities and recipients of that funding . Such funding provided for both the conversion of former naval vessels to research and for their operation . The USS " Snatch " ( ARS - 27 ) was one of two ( the other being sister ship , later R / V " Chain " , operating from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute ) notable vessels undergoing such conversion . In 1960 the " Snatch " was converted into the vessel known in scientific literature and publicity relating to oceanography as the Scripps vessel R / V " Argo " . The ship operated as a Scripps research vessel from that conversion in 1960 until return to Navy custody for scrapping in 1970 . Research voyages . As R / V " Argo " the ship conducted much significant research during what was termed the " Golden Age of Oceanography , " by Roger Revelle . Among the notable expeditions was the series for the International Indian Ocean Expedition ( IIOE ) of 1960 through 1965 when " Argo " participated in the Monsoon Expedition of 1960 - 1961 and , with R / V " Horizon " , participated the 1962 Lusiad Expedition . The ship ' s work added information of submarine topography ( bathymetry ) and geophysical properties in that relatively unexplored ocean that contributed to understanding the global ridge system and geology as well as collecting data in other disciplines . During 1966 the ship did winter work in the northwestern Pacific , Bering Sea , and the Okhotsk Sea . " Argo " paired again with R / V " Horizon " for the 1967 Nova expedition conducted in the southwest Pacific . Significant information on the geologic structures were reported and contributed to modern knowledge of global geology . During the Circe Expedition ( 1968 – 1969 ) concentrating on the geology and geophysics of the Pacific , Indian and Atlantic , " Argo " worked in the Southwest Indian Ridge and collected specimens of " lower crustal matic and upper mantle ultramatic rocks never before recovered in oceanic areas " while also field - testing a shipboard computer linked to a prototype satellite navigation system . The ship features in the experience of a number of the well known names in oceanography and has itself given its name to ocean features . The Argo Fracture Zone ( 11°30 ' S 69°30 ' E - 16°00 ' S 63°00 ' E ) is noted along with the North Australian Basin ( 14°30 ' S 116°00 ' E ) as among a number of the ship ' s discoveries . The note in the GEBCO Gazetteer for the fracture zone is : Discoverer : R / V " Argo " 1960 , 1968 , 1960 Recognized on SIO ' s R / V " Argo " , Lusiad Expedition , 1962 - 63 . Mapped in 1968 , Circe Expedition " Reclassification to AGOR - 18 . After seven years of service under Office of Naval Research funding and sponsorship at Scripps and the buildup of national oceanographic resources ship formally became part of the Navy ’ s new Auxiliary General Oceanographic Research ( AGOR ) fleet . The ship was changed for administrative purposes by Navy on 1 April 1967 to AGOR - 18 classification and administrative ownership by the Military Sea Transportation Service ( MSTS ) while continuing operations as the Scripps vessel R / V " Argo " . Final decommissioning . The ship was returned to US Naval custody in March 1970 and struck from the Naval Register , 1 May 1970 . Final disposition : sold for scrapping , 8 November 1971 , to S . S . Zee , Taiwan .