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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USNS Tonkawa (T-ATA-176)
ex
 USS Tonkawa (ATA-176) (1948 - 1956)
 ATA-176 (1947 - 1948)
USS ATA-176 (1944 - 1947)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Papa - Golf
 NJPG
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
Bottom Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal - Philippines Liberation Medal

USNS Tonkawa (T-ATA-176) was transferred to Taiwan and renamed ROCS Ta-Shueh 547
Sotoyomo Class Auxiliary Fleet Tug:
  • Laid down, 30 January 1944 as Rescue Ocean Tug (ATR-103), at Levingston Shipbuilding Co., Orange, TX
  • Launched, 1 March 1944
  • Reclassified Auxiliary Fleet Tug (ATA-176), 15 May 1944
  • Commissioned, USS ATA-176, 19 August 1944, LTjg. Ralph T. Crane Jr., USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS ATA-176 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
  • Following World War II USS ATA-176 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 25 October to 1 November 1945
  • Decommissioned, 30 June 1947, at Naval Supply Depot, Oakland, CA.
  • Assigned to the Naval Transportation Service (NTS) and placed in service as ATA-176
  • Named, Tonkawa (ATA-176), 16 July 1948
  • Assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) and placed in service as USNS Tonkawa (T-ATA-176) circa 1949-50
  • Placed out of service, 8 May 1956
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 August 1961
  • Transferred to Taiwan in April 1962 under the Security Assistance Program (SAP), renamed ROCS Ta-Shueh 547
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement 835 t.(lt) 1,360 t.(fl)
    Length 143'
    Beam 33' 10"
    Draft 13' 2" (limiting)
    Speed 12 kts.
    Armament
    one single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount
    two single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Largest Boom Capacity 5 t.
    Complement
    Officers 5
    Enlisted 40
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 1,200 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two GM 12-278A Diesel-electric engines
    single Fairbanks Morse Main Reduction Gear
    Ship's Service Generators
    two 60Kw 120V. D.C.
    single propeller, 1,200shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS ATA-176
    Tonkawa 41k USS ATA-176 underway in Manila Bay, circa 1944-45 Photo by John R. Clifton EM3, USS ATA-176
    Tonkawa 26k USS ATA-176 underway in San Francisco Bay, returning, 1 June 1946 from the South Pacific. Note the homeward bound pennant flying from her masthead the movie screen on her fantail, and also note that her armament has been removed. Submitted by Albert Rousseau to National Association
    of Fleet Tug Sailors
    ROCS Ta-Sueh (ATA-547)
    Tonkawa 37k Ex Tonkawa (ATA-176) seen here in Taiwanese service as ROCS Ta-Shueh 547 during transfer ceremonies at Seattle WA., 1962. Taiwan Navy Web Site
    USS Tonkawa (ATA-176)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LTjg. Crane Jr., Ralph Thompson, USNR19 August 1944 - 8 September 1945
    02LTjg. Hood Jr., Cecil, USNR8 September 1945 - December 1945
    03LTjg. Conrad, Franklin J., USNRDecember 1945 - ?
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Ship Photo Index Back To The Rescue Ocean Tug (ATR) Photo Index Back To The Auxiliary Fleet Tug (ATA) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 22 May 2020