U.S. Navy Towing ManualModern Navy towing, as we perceive it today, began at the beginning of World War II. Prior to WWII, the Navy owned few salvage ships of its own and depended heavily on contracted assets to perform the duties of towing and salvage. Merritt Chapman and Scott was one of the premier towing and salvage contractors of the day and maintained an inventory of assets. They held a contract with the Navy to perform ship salvage on an asneeded, no cure no pay