USS Opportune

Operating primarily as a salvage schoolship for the Atlantic Fleet, Opportune also towed disabled craft among Caribbean ports and on occasion, to Norfolk, Virginia, and New York.She escorted two Iranian ships to the entrance of the Mediterranean, then sailed directly to Agadir, Morocco, where she delivered 50 tons of clothing donated by the Navy for victims of the recent earthquake.Highlights of this period were assistance to Norwegian ship SS Tarrantel which had been damaged in a collision off the entrance to Chesapeake Bay in the spring of 1962; service off Cape Canaveral, Florida, at the launch of Major Gordon Cooper's Faith 7 Project Mercury space capsule a year later; and searching for inactive destroyer escort Fogg, which had broken free during hurricane Jenny while being towed to Charleston, South Carolina, and escorting the maverick to safety at Norfolk late in October 1963.After overhaul during the summer of 1965, Opportune visited Scotland in the fall to take in tow a leased Royal Navy lift craft ALC-24 for delivery to Subic Bay, Philippine Islands.For the remainder of the year Opportune operated along the east coast visiting the Canal Zone in June and in August she returned to Cape Canaveral for the unmanned Apollo 202 launch.Navy records indicate the following battle stars for Opportune: Her crew was eligible for the following medals, ribbons and commendations: This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
USS Opportune receiving VERTREP from USS Concord in the Adriatic, 1983
United StatesBasalt Rock Companydiesel-electricBolster-classrescue and salvage shipUnited States NavyWorld War IINapa, CaliforniaMare IslandCaliforniaSan Pedro, Los AngelesSan Juan, Puerto RicoschoolshipCaribbeanNorfolk, VirginiaNew YorkCulebra IslandWeather ServiceNaval Air Station ArgentiabargesgoodwillIranianMediterraneanAgadirMoroccoearthquakeKing of MoroccoPolarisHoly LochScotlanddrydockMayport, FloridaBelfastNorthern IrelandEast Coast of the United StatesNorwegianChesapeake BayCape Canaveral, FloridaGordon CooperProject Mercurydestroyer escortCharleston, South CarolinaRoyal NavySubic BayPhilippine IslandsRosythGibraltarSuez CanalYokosukaPearl HarborSan DiegoAcapulco, MexicoPanama CanalLittle Creek, VirginiaApolloUSS ConcordSpace Shuttle ChallengerDarlene IskraNaval RegisterMaritime AdministrationNational Defense Reserve FleetFort EustisChesapeake, VirginiaJames RiverNavy Unit CommendationMeritorious Unit CommendationNavy Battle "E" RibbonAmerican Campaign MedalWorld War II Victory MedalNational Defense Service MedalArmed Forces Expeditionary MedalVietnam Service MedalSouthwest Asia Service MedalVietnam Campaign Medalpublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting ShipsBolster-class rescue and salvage shipsBolsterConserverReclaimerRecoveryUrgentRepublic of China NavyDa JuenUSS TackleSafeguard classList of auxiliaries of the United States Navy