Naval History and Heritage Command

USS Coucal (ASR-8) was launched 29 May 1942 by Moore Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Oakland, Calif.; sponsored by Mrs. D. A. Scott; and commissioned 22 January 1943, Lieutenant Commander D. H. Byerly, USNR, in command.

USS Coucal (ASR-8) arrived at Brisbane, Australia, 23 June 1943 to serve the submarines of the 7th Fleet. After 4 October, she gave escort, fueling, and tender services from Milne Bay, New Guinea, and in March 1944, carried cargo to Manus and the bombarded Koruniat Island while sailing south to Brisbane for repairs. Between 29 October 1944 and 29 December, USS Coucal (ASR-8) joined in convoy exercises with submarines out of Fre-mantle, returning to duty at Darwin. Between 10 February 1945 and 3 June, USS Coucal (ASR-8) continued her tender service at Exmouth Gulf, then loaded cargo and passengers at Fremantle for the submarine base at Subic Bay, where she arrived 4 July.

Assigned to Operation "Crossroads," the atomic weapons tests in the Marshalls, USS Coucal (ASR-8) put out from San Francisco 25 February 1946 for Pearl Harbor. From13 April to 30 September she planted moorings at Bikini, and carried out a variety of diving assignments in the tests, then returned to San Francisco for overhaul.

Serving Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet, USS Coucal (ASR-8) operated in the Hawaiian Islands training deep sea divers, and carrying out rescue and salvage missions, and serving in the Far East in 1951, 1952-53, 1954-55, 1956-57, 1958, and 1960. Her base in the western Pacific was Yokosuka, Japan, from which she cruised to the Korean coast, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Okinawa on salvage and rescue duty.

For a complete history of USS Coucal (ASR-8) please see its DANFS page.