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USS Safeguard Participates in Joint De-Beaching Exercise

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS070416-09
Release Date: 4/16/2007 9:52:00 AM

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class David Didier, Fleet Public Affairs Center Detachment Sasebo Japan

CHINHAE, South Korea (NNS) -- USS Safeguard (ARS 50) participated in a de-beaching exercise with the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) ship ROKS Pyungtaek (ATS-27) during a joint salvage exercise (SALVEX 07) March 10 in waters near Chinhae, Republic of Korea (ROK).

The annual exercise conducted with ROKN provides training for both ships' crews in removing a ship after it has been beached.

“The exercise gives us the chance to practice considerably more challenging evolutions, such as beach gear with the Korean Navy, which gives us the opportunity to exercise the full range of our capabilities,” said Safeguard Commanding Officer Lt Cmdr. Doyle K. Hodges.

The exercise was conducted by having both ships lay a leg of “beach gear," which consists of an anchor, 90 feet of anchor chain, and 1,500 feet of wire rope. Each ship then brought the wire rope over her bow rollers and connected it to hydraulic cable pullers, capable of pulling 50 tons each. Once each ship was connected to its respective beach gear leg, the ships came stern to stern about 200 yards from one another and passed Safeguard’s tow wire between them. The ships then took turns pulling on the beach gear leg to exert a retracting force on the other ship.

“This was the first time I have ever done anything like this. It was a great opportunity for me to participate in an exercise where we could work together with the Korean Navy,” said Seaman Rickey Berrian.

The exercise was part of a planned salvage exercise between the U.S. and Korean Navies. The exercise involved demonstrating the abilities of dive and salvage ships used by the two navies.

Safeguard is a rescue and salvage ship of Amphibious Forces 7th Fleet, operating out of Sasebo, Japan; which serves under Commander, Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 7/Task Force (CTF) 76, the Navy’s only forward-deployed amphibious force. Task Force 76 is headquartered at White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa, Japan, with an operating detachment in Sasebo, Japan.