USS Falcon ( AM - 28 ) The third USS " Falcon " , ( AM - 28 / ASR - 2 ) was in the United States Navy . She later became a submarine rescue ship . " Falcon " was launched 7 September 1918 by Gas Engine and Power Co . , and C . L . Seabury Co . , Morris Heights , New York ; sponsored by Mrs . W . J . Parslow ; and commissioned 12 November 1918 , Lieutenant B . E . Rigg in command . She was reclassified ASR - 2 on 12 September 1929 . North Atlantic operations . Originally commanded by Sam Trohman , from December 1918 to May 1919 , " Falcon " served on temporary duty in the 4th Naval District as a lightship . After towing targets and various craft along the U . S . East Coast , an occupation with salvage duty which was to be her major employment for many years , she sailed from New York on 8 August 1919 for Kirkwall , Orkney Islands , Scotland . For two months she aided in clearing the North Sea of the vast number of mines laid there in World War I , returning to Charleston , South Carolina , 28 November 1919 . " Falcon " made a second voyage to European waters between March and August 1920 , visiting Rosyth , Scotland , and Brest , France , and returning by way of the Azores with a captured German submarine in tow for the Panama Canal Zone . Back at Hampton Roads 18 October 1920 , she returned to towing , salvage , and transport duty along the east coast . After conducting salvage operations on through the summer of 1921 , she was assigned permanently to submarine salvage work , based at New London , Connecticut . She continued to perform occasional towing duty , and from time to time sailed to the Caribbean on both salvage and towing duty . Salvage operations . In 1925 , " Falcon " joined the Control Force for operations in the Panama Canal Zone , along the U . S . West Coast , and in the Hawaiian Islands . She returned to home waters in September , and began her part in the salvage operations on in which she joined that fall and the next spring . After the submarine was raised through determined and ingenious efforts , it was " Falcon " who towed her to New York in July 1926 , providing air pressure for the pontoons supporting the submarine , as well as her compartments . Acting as tender as well as salvage ship for submarines , " Falcon " accompanied them to fleet exercises in waters from Maine to the Panama Canal Zone , and conducted many operations to develop rescue techniques , as well as training divers . She stood by during deep submergence runs and other tests of new submarines , and played an important role in raising in the summer of 1939 , and in the rescue operations on in June 1941 . World War II operations . Throughout World War II , aging but still able , " Falcon " sailed out of New London , Connecticut and Portsmouth , New Hampshire , on salvage , towing , and experimental operations . When at New London , she usually served as flagship for Commander , Submarine Force , Atlantic Fleet . Her only deployment from New England waters during the war came between July and October 1943 , when she conducted diving operations and laid moorings in the anchorage at Argentia , Newfoundland . One of her most important activities during the war was training divers , search , salvage , and rescue workers to man newer submarine rescue ships . Decommissioning . " Falcon " was decommissioned at Boston , Massachusetts 18 June 1946 , and sold 12 March 1947 .