USS Safeguard ( ARS - 25 ) USS " Safeguard " ( ARS - 25 ) was an commissioned by the U . S . Navy during World War II . Her task was to come to the aid of stricken vessels . " Safeguard " was laid down on 5 June 1943 by the Basalt Rock Company in Napa , California ; launched on 20 November 1943 ; and commissioned on 30 September 1944 at the Southern Pacific Docks , Vallejo , California , Lt . J . F . Simmons in command . World War II service . Following shakedown out of San Diego , California , " Safeguard " called at San Pedro , California , and San Francisco before commencing the first of many deep water towing operations on 23 December . With " YC - 1165 " and " YC - 1166 " in tow , she arrived at Pearl Harbor on 3 January 1945 . Escorted by " PC - 125Jt " and " SC - 1033 " , she departed Pearl for Eniwetok on the 15th , this time with " ARD - 25 " in tow . Until 1 March , she operated in the area of Tanapag Harbor . Post - war activity . " Safeguard " later moved on to the Ryūkyūs . At Okinawa , she conducted at - random salvage operations in the wake of war and typhoons . Although towing operations in Buckner Bay took up much of her time in the months immediately following the end of the war , she also continued salvage work . On 20 November , after continued attempts , she refloated " ARD - 21 " , a typhoon victim , at Nago Wan , Okinawa . China area operations . Departing the Ryukyus on 28 March 1946 for Shanghai , China , " Safeguard " extended her salvage and towing capabilities to Taku , China , on 13 April and then to Pusan , Korea , and the Amami - O - Shima Islands . Following several months of operations in Chinese and Japanese waters , she towed " YR - 68 " from Hong Kong to Samar , Philippine Islands , in mid - June . There she added section G of " AFDM - 5 " to her tow and continued on to Pearl Harbor on 29 July in company with three " YTBs " . The 21st of August found her en route to San Francisco for a three - month overhaul at Mare Island , California . Atomic testing operations . After service in the Aleutians in the spring of 1947 , " Safeguard " arrived at Pearl Harbor on 1 July . She then went on to Kwajalein Atoll , the Marshalls , for salvage operations after the nuclear tests held there . The mission involved considerable diving and the inspection of the underwater surfaces of many grounded vessels . " Safeguard " departed Kwajalein on 12 November and headed via Pearl Harbor for San Diego . She decommissioned on 12 December 1947 and entered the San Diego Group of the Pacific Reserve Fleet . Reactivated during Korean War . After the outbreak of war in Korea , " Safeguard " was ordered activated . Recommissioned on 13 February 1952 , she proceeded to Pearl Harbor for a post - commissioning overhaul that took her into mid - August . She arrived at Sasebo , Japan , on 3 September 1952 and again commenced salvage and towing operations in Japanese and Korean waters . She delivered urgently needed cargo to at Inchon on 28 December ; and , on 6 January 1953 , she stood by during shore bombardment . DEW Line support . Between May and December , " Safeguard " underwent overhaul at Pearl Harbor . Following the end of the Korean War , she continued to engage in fleet salvage operations and regular WestPac deployments . In the summer of 1955 and 1956 , she operated out of Seattle , Washington , provisioning DEW - line outposts . Vietnam War operations . " Safeguard " relieved on station in the South China Sea off the coast of South Vietnam on 25 August 1964 . Interruptions during this duty took her to Subic Bay and Hong Kong . Arriving at Pearl Harbor on 27 October , she conducted local operations through the following summer . She was again en route to WestPac on 17 August 1965 for operations that took her to Japanese , Korean , and Vietnamese waters . Arriving at Pearl Harbor on 9 March 1966 , " Safeguard " commenced upkeep and mid - Pacific operations . For example , during September and October 1966 , she salvaged a 10 , 000 - ton commercial barge which had grounded at Wake Island during a storm . She then towed the barge 2 , 000 miles to Honolulu . Into 1974 , " Safeguard " has continued to provide Fleet support services from her home port of Pearl Harbor and through her regular WestPac deployments . Decommissioning . " Safeguard " was decommissioned ( date unknown ) and struck from the Naval Vessel Register , 6 August 1987 . She was transferred under the Security Assistance Program , to Turkey , 18 August 1987 . Final Disposition : Active with the Turkish Navy . Military awards and honors . " Safeguard " received one battle star for World War II service : During the Korean War she received the Presidential Unit Citation and five battle stars . Two are shown below : For service in Vietnam she was reported to have received nine campaign stars . However , ten are noted below : " Safeguard ' s " crew was eligible for the following medals , citations , ribbons , and other honors ( listed in order of precedence ) :