USS Gypsy ( ARS ( D ) - 1 ) USS " Gypsy " ( ARS ( D ) - 1 ) was the lead ship of her class of salvage lifting vessels serving in the United States Navy . Originally designated LSM - 549 , she was launched by Brown Shipbuilding Corporation , Houston , Texas , on 7 December 1945 , and commissioned on 18 March 1946 at Houston , Lieutenant Commander C . S . Homer in command . Service history . 1946 – 1948 . " Gypsy " completed her shakedown training on 20 March 1946 , and sailed 10 days later from Norfolk , VA for San Pedro , CA , where she arrived on 26 May . The ship then departed on 14 June to take part in the impending " Operation Crossroads " , a historic series of atomic test s . Arriving off the atoll on 10 July 1946 , " Gypsy " witnessed the " Baker " Test on 25 July and assisted in recovering beached and damaged craft and doing underwater work on test ships , as the US Navy developed a large amount of valuable scientific information on the effects of the atomic bomb on ships and how to reduce them . Departing on 16 September 1946 , " Gypsy " worked on the raising of SS " Britain Victory " at Honolulu , HI until 8 November . She arrived San Pedro on 10 December 1946 for extensive repairs until June 1947 , then did limited salvage work before proceeding to Guam , arriving on 18 August 1947 . There " Gypsy " salvaged and towed to Guam the former bow of cruiser , lost in the great typhoon of June 1945 . She returned to San Diego on 17 January 1948 , decommissioned on 21 January and joined Pacific Reserve Fleet , San Diego Group . 1951 – 1955 . " Gypsy " was recommissioned on 8 August 1951 , and after shakedown and repairs arrived Pearl Harbor on 19 October 1951 . For the next seven months the ship operated in Apra Harbor , Guam , relocating mooring buoys and working on the breakwater . Arriving Pearl Harbor on 31 May 1952 , " Gypsy " had new salvage equipment and electronic gear installed and sailed on 15 September for Subic Bay . Arriving on 9 October she began removing a sunken Japan ese hulk . She sailed on 9 January 1953 for Inchon , South Korea , site of one of the decisive amphibious operations in history . There " Gypsy " removed a sunken barge from the harbor . Later she worked off Pohang and helped clear explosives from Ulsan harbor . Korean coastal work was completed on 6 May 1953 , and the ship sailed for Pearl Harbor , via Yokosuka and Midway Island , arriving on 5 June . After operations there , " Gypsy " sailed to Eniwetok and upon her arrival on 18 September began renewing and positioning fleet moorings for the coming atomic bomb tests , " Operation Castle " . She arrived Bikini Atoll on 7 February 1954 and witnessed the first test shot , the second thermonuclear explosion in history , on 1 March 1954 . She assisted in recovering test equipment , was detached on 26 March 1954 , returned to Pearl Harbor on 18 April . After operations there , she sailed to Long Beach , CA , arriving on 4 May 1955 for deactivation . " Gypsy " decommissioned on 23 December 1955 at Astoria , OR , and was placed in reserve . In 1967 she was again relocated to the Pacific Reserve Fleet , San Diego Group . " Gypsy " was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 June 1973 and sold for scrapping by the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service ( DRMS ) on 1 January 1974 . Awards . USS " Gypsy " received : < br > Three battle stars for Korean War service . < br > American Campaign Medal < br > World War II Victory Medal < br > National Defense Service Medal < br > Korean Service Medal ( ×3 ) < br > United Nations Service Medal < br > Republic of Korea War Service Medal ( retroactive )