On 13 July 2006 Grapple was decommissioned from US Navy service and converted to civilian operation by Military Sealift Command.

For rescue missions, these ships are equipped with fire monitors forward and amidships which can deliver either firefighting foam or sea water.

The Navy has responsibility for salvaging U.S. government-owned ships and, when it is in the best interests of the United States, privately owned vessels as well.

Grapple is designed to perform combat salvage, lifting, towing, off-ship firefighting, crewed diving operations, and emergency repairs to stranded or disabled vessels.

In her 21,000 cubic feet (590 m3) salvage hold, Grapple carries transportable cutting and welding equipment, hydraulic and electric power sources, and de-watering gear.

Additional retraction force can be applied to a stranded vessel through the use of up to six legs of beach gear, consisting of 6,000-pound (2,700 kg) STATO anchors, wire rope, chain, and salvage buoys.

Grapple's propulsion machinery provides a bollard pull (towing force at zero speed and full power) of 68 tons.

Each drum carries 3,000 feet (910 m) of 2.25-inch-diameter (57 mm) drawn galvanized, 6×37 right-hand lay, wire-rope towing hawsers, with closed zinc-poured sockets on the bitter end.

The stern rollers and Norman pins are raised hydraulically and can withstand a lateral force of 50,000 pounds (23,000 kg) at mid barrel.

[8] In addition to her two main ground tackle anchors (6,000-pound (2,700 kg) Navy standard stockless or 8,000-pound (3,600 kg) balanced-fluke anchors) Grapple can use equipment associated with her beach gear to lay a multi-point open water moor to station herself for diving and ROV operations.

[6][8][10] Grapple has heavy lift system that consists of large bow and stern rollers, deck machinery, and tackle.

[8] Grapple has three manually operated fire monitors, one on the forward signal bridge, one on the aft signal bridge, and one on the forecastle, that can deliver up to 1,000 gallons per minute of seawater or aqueous film forming foam (AFFF)[8] When originally built, Grapple had a fourth remotely controlled fire monitor mounted on her forward kingpost,[1] but this was later removed.

[19] Grapple was placed in "Out of Service, in Reserve" status on October 1, 2016,[20] and is stored at the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.