From: Dictionary of American Fighting Ships

A very strong wire or fiber rope.

(ARS - 19: dp. 1,441; l. 213'6"; b. 39'; dr. 14'8"; s. 15 k.; cpl. 120; a. 2 40 mm.; cl. Diver)

Cable (ARS-19) was launched 1 April 1943 by Basalt Rock Co., Napa, Calif.; sponsored by Mrs. B. Elliott; and commissioned 6 March 1944, Lieutenant Commander H. Pond, USNR, in command.

Cable began her salvage and rescue work while still in shakedown training, when she took in tow for San Diego the water barge AW-86, which had suffered a breakdown off Cape San Lucas, Mexico. Cable cleared San Pedro, Calif., 30 April 1944, towing small craft to Kwajalein on her way to Milne Bay, New Guinea. Here she offered salvage and rescue services until sailing 10 August for Manus and Cairns, Australia, where she loaded firefighting and salvage teams. Continuing the lengthy process of invasion preparation, she sailed to Milne Bay to load firefighting equipment, and on 18 October put out from Hollandia, New Guinea, in a convoy of supp [sic; supply] ships for the initial landings on Leyte.

Many ships were damaged in the furious naval and air actions which accompanied the Leyte, and later the Lingayen, operations. Cable’s essential services aided many; she made Albert W. Grant (DD-649) seaworthy again in only two days after the destroyer had flooded from the 19 shell hits received in the Battle of Surigao Strait. Such duty in San Pedro Bay and Lingayen Gulf was followed by assignment to harbor clearance at Manila through the spring of 1945. Cable's devoted and skillful service in the Philippines was recognized with the award of the Navy Unit Commendation.

Cable stood out of Manila Bay 30 May 1945 where her repair facilities helped ready ships for the Borneo invasion. She steamed to Balikpapan for frontline support in July, and in August returned to the Philippines for continued service through 6 March 1946. Homeward bound, she towed APL-18 from Pearl Harbor to San Diego, where she arrived 28 July 1946 for local operations until 28 January 1947. Proceeding to the east coast, Cable carried out salvage, rescue, and towing assignments in New England waters until 15 September 1947, when she was decommissioned at Boston. She was loaned, commercially the same day.

In addition to the Navy Unit Commendation, Cable received three battle stars for World War II service.