USS Tringa (ASR-16)

• Commissioning and Class: USS Tringa (ASR-16) was a Chanticleer-class submarine rescue ship, commissioned by the United States Navy on 12 March 1946. • Namesake: The ship was named after "Tringa," a genus of sandpiper shorebirds, following the Navy tradition of naming rescue ships after birds. • Primary Mission: Tringa’s main mission was to support submarine rescue operations, including serving as a tender and participating in submarine escape training exercises. • Testing New Technology: The USS Tringa played a key role in testing and developing submarine rescue and salvage equipment, including the use of the McCann Rescue Chamber. • Support to Experimental Submarines: Tringa provided assistance to various experimental submarines, such as the USS Albacore (AGSS-569), during their trials and development. • K-129 Incident: In 1968, Tringa assisted in search operations for the lost Soviet submarine K-129 in the Pacific, showcasing Cold War undersea operations and cooperation with intelligence agencies. • Presidential Yacht Support: Tringa was involved in operations supporting the Presidential Yacht Williamsburg during the Eisenhower and Truman administrations. • Space Program Assistance: In 1961, Tringa participated in recovering Mercury-Redstone 2, the spaceflight that carried Ham the chimpanzee, marking its contribution to early American space missions. • Decommissioning: USS Tringa was decommissioned on 30 June 1973 after nearly three decades of service, and was struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 1979. • Final Fate: After decommissioning, Tringa was sold for scrap in 1980, ending her long and varied naval career.