age ▁vessel ▁and ▁mines we eper . ▁Between ▁ 2 0 ▁May ▁and ▁ 2 ▁July ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁she ▁was ▁converted ▁to ▁an ▁ocean - going ▁t ug ▁( red es ign ated ▁AT - 1 3 1 ▁on ▁ 1 ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 2 ). ▁Rem aining ▁at ▁Pear l ▁Har bor ▁until ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁Bob ol ink ▁then ▁ste amed ▁to ▁the ▁South ▁Pacific ▁and ▁operated ▁out ▁off ▁Gu adal can al , ▁Sol omon ▁Islands ; ▁Esp ir itu ▁Santo , ▁New ▁Heb rides ; ▁and ▁N ou me a , ▁New ▁C aled onia , ▁as ▁a ▁t ug ▁until ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 4 . ▁In ▁particular , ▁she ▁helped ▁rescue ▁surv iv ors ▁and ▁assist ed ▁several ▁cri pp led ▁U . S . ▁war ships ▁in ▁the ▁after math ▁of ▁the ▁Naval ▁Battle ▁of ▁Gu adal can al . ▁She ▁arrived ▁at ▁Long ▁Beach , ▁California , ▁ 4 ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁for ▁over ha ul ▁and ▁returned ▁to ▁Pear l ▁Har bor ▁on ▁ 2 9 ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 4 . ▁Bob ol ink ▁was ▁rec lass ified ▁A TO - 1 3 1 ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 4 . ▁ ▁De comm ission ing ▁ ▁She ▁served ▁in ▁Hawai ian ▁waters ▁until ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁and ▁then ▁returned ▁to ▁Mare ▁Island ▁Navy ▁Y ard , ▁where