Bolster conducted repair and salvage operations in Japanese waters until leaving for Subic Bay, Luzon, 10 October 1946.

[citation needed] Bolster operated alternately out of Pearl Harbor and Adak, Alaska, on salvage and towing duties until 22 August 1950.

[citation needed] Since 1952 Bolster continued to operate out of Pearl Harbor and made six tours of the Far East, visiting Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, Okinawa, and the Philippine Islands.

Members of Bolster's crew operated on land to extract USS Clark County (LST-601) from beach after grounding at Đức Phổ from 18 November to 1 December 1967.

[2] Bolster departed the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet on 23 May 2011 for hull cleaning at BAE Systems San Francisco Ship Repair.