The rescue and salvage ship BOLSTER was the first ship in the Navy to bear the name. The ship participated in the Korea and Vietnam Wars receiving seven battle stars for her Korean service and eight battle stars for Vietnam service. After more than 49 years of service, the BOLSTER was both decommissioned and stricken from the Navy list on September 24, 1994. Since then, she is laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, Calif., awaiting final disposal.
| General Characteristics: | Awarded: December 7, 1943 |
| Keel laid: July 20, 1944 |
| Launched: December 23, 1944 |
| Commissioned: May 1, 1945 |
| Decommissioned: September 24, 1994 |
| Builder: Basalt Rock Co., Napa, Calif. |
| Propulsion system: Diesel electric |
| Propellers: two |
| Length: 213.6 feet (65.1 meters) |
| Beam: 43 feet (13.1 meters) |
| Draft: 13.1 feet (4 meters) |
| Displacement: approx. 1,900 tons |
| Speed: 16 knots |
| Armament: two Mk-68 20mm guns |
| Crew: 6 officers and 77 enlisted |
General Characteristics 
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