USS Preserver ( ARS - 8 ) USS " Preserver " ( ARS - 8 ) was a commissioned by the U . S . Navy for service in World War II . She was responsible for coming to the aid of stricken vessels . " Preserver " ( ARS – 8 ) , a salvage ship , was laid down by Basalt Rock Company in Napa , California , 26 October 1942 ; launched 1 April 1943 ; sponsored by Mrs . Walter F . LaFranz ; and commissioned 11 January 1944 , Lt . Comdr . A . T . Ostrander in command . World War II service . After shakedown out of San Francisco , California , " Preserver " steamed for Pearl Harbor 26 February in company with " PC – 1139 " . The next day she was ordered to come about and to report to Port Director , San Pedro , California , for orders . She was once again underway for Pearl Harbor 5 March , with " YOG – 18 " in tow . Arriving Pearl Harbor 16 March , she reported for duty with Service Squadron 2 . Saipan operations . Hawaiian operations and yard availability took " Preserver " through April . Steaming for Majuro Atoll 10 May , she arrived two weeks later and commenced salvage operations between Majuro , Eniwetok , and Kwajalein with Service Squadron 10 . She was a unit of Capt . S . E . Peck ' s Service and Salvage Group during the capture of Saipan ( 15 – 21 June 1944 ) , providing salvage services off the west coast of that island . When Japanese snipers set off an ammunition dump near the beach at 2100 June 20 , " Preserver " sent a fire - fighting party ashore to render assistance . " Preserver " worked at clearing Tanapag Harbor , Saipan 9 – 23 July . She then worked in the Tinian area . By 12 August she was at Eniwetok , and the next day she steamed for Pearl Harbor , arriving 22 August for upkeep and availability . Repairs kept her at Pearl Harbor until 11 September , when she steamed for Eniwetok , arriving the 28th . Damaged by bomb . She was at Seeadler Harbor , Manus , 6 October , and departed five days later for Leyte Gulf . A bomb penetrated her hull 20 October , flooding her motor room and causing loss of power throughout the ship . Battle damage repairs necessitated calls at Hollandia , New Guinea ; Espiritu Santo , New Hebrides ; and finally at Pearl Harbor from 5 February 1945 through the following July . After final repairs " Preserver " stood out of Pearl Harbor 8 August , bound for Kwajalein Atoll , the Marshalls . She made further calls at Guam and Okinawa , and the second week of October she operated at Wakayama , Honshū , Japan . After the close of hostilities , " Preserver " participated in salvage operations during the weapons tests at Bikini Atoll , and then decommissioned at San Diego , California , 23 April 1947 . Reactivated during Korean War . She recommissioned at San Diego 1 December 1950 , and in January 1951 transferred from the Pacific Fleet to Commander , Service Force , Atlantic . She arrived Norfolk , her new home port , 20 February . Arctic operations . Since assuming duties out of Norfolk , " Preserver " has performed salvage , rescue , and towing assignments along the Atlantic coast . From 1952 through 1962 , she deployed annually for Arctic operations which took her to Greenland , Labrador , Newfoundland , and Nova Scotia as duty salvage ship . She also assisted in the MSTS resupply missions to Greenland . Supporting search for the " Thresher " . In 1962 " Preserver " conducted towing operations to Mayport , Florida , and to Bermuda . She was then assigned to serve in the recovery fleet during the second manned orbital flight . From April through August 1963 , she conducted " Trieste " support operations as the bathyscaph searched the ocean floor for , lost 10 April . The bathyscaph finally discovered debris that was definitely identified , and the search was concluded 5 September . Final operations . Further Atlantic Ocean operations were followed by a Mediterranean deployment February – June 1964 . In March 1968 " Preserver " pumped out of the bow of Liberian tanker a cargo of oil that threatened major pollution of San Juan , Puerto Rico , harbor . She also extinguished a fire aboard British merchant vessel 11 April 1968 in San Juan Harbor . She then deployed to the Mediterranean 20 May 1968 , returning to Little Creek , Virginia , 2 September . Into 1970 she continued to serve the Fleet as a salvage ship of Service Squadron 8 out of Little Creek , Virginia . In January 1986 she was tasked with leading the salvage and recovery efforts of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster . During the transit to Port Canaveral the ship recovered the nose piece of the external fuel tank . The Preserver was on station through April 1986 . On 7 March 1986 , divers from the USS Preserver using sonar located what they believed to be the crew compartment ( confirming it during a dive the next day ) and commenced recovery operations for the fallen astronauts . John Devlin made the confirmation dive to verify that the wreckage was in fact the crew compartment . On 9 March , NASA announced the finding to the press . The ship received a Navy Unit Commendation for the operation . She was decommissioned on 30 September 1986 , and recommisioned the following year . After Hurricane Hugo , the USS Preserver was sent to Puerto Rico to aid in recovery of a sunken ship . The ship drove through Hugo en route to Guantanomo bay , Cuba where it picked up two barges loaded with telephone poles to take to Puerto Rico . It performed the first tandem tow in 40 years of US Naval history . The Preserver arrived safely at Puerto Rico and stayed there for nearly two months recovering a sunken vessel from the harbour . Final decommissioning . " Preserver " decommissioned , 7 August 1992 and was transferred to the Maritime Administration ( MARAD ) for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet , James River , Fort Eustis , Virginia , 1 February 1993 . On 16 March 1994 , she was struck from the Naval Vessel Register . Final Disposition : " Preserver " was moved to Bay Bridge Enterprises yard at Chesapeake , Virginia , 30 November 2005 , for dismantling . Note : Bay Bridge was paid a combined $ 442 , 640 to dismantle " Preserver " and . Military awards and honors . " Preserver " received three battle star s for World War II service . Her crew was eligible for the following medals and ribbons :