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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Carib (ATF-82)
ex
 USS Carib (AT-82) (1943 - 1944)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Whiskey - Kilo - Whiskey
 NWKW
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)

USS Carib (ATF-82) was transferred to Colombia, renamed ARC Sebastián de Benalcázar (RM-73)
Navajo Class Fleet Tug:
  • Laid down, 7 September 1942, at Charleston Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Charleston, S.C.
  • Launched, 7 February 1943
  • Commissioned USS Carib (AT-82), 24 July 1943, LT. Aubrey H. Gunn USN in command
  • During World War II USS Carib (AT-82) served primarily in the American Theater with brief service in the Europe-Africa-Middle East and Asiatic-Pacific Theaters
  • Reclassified Fleet Ocean Tug (ATF-82), 15 May 1944
  • Following World War II USS Carib (ATF-82) was assigned Occupation service and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    21 October to 18 December 194522 December 1945 to 20 January 1946

  • Decommissioned, 24 January 1947, at San Diego, CA.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 July 1963
  • Sold to Colombia, under the Security Assistance Program, 14 February 1978 and renamed ARC Sebastián de Benalcázar (RM-73)
  • Final Disposition, sunk by the Colombian Navy in June 2007
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,235 t.(lt) 1,675 t.(fl)
    Length 205'
    Beam 38' 6"
    Draft 15' 4"
    Speed 16.5 kts (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 5
    Enlisted 80
    Largest Boom Capacity 20 t.
    Armament
    one single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mount
    two single 40mm AA gun mounts
    two single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacity Diesel 2,265 Bbls
    Propulsion
    four General Motors 12-278 Diesel-electric main engines
    single Fairbanks Morse Main Reduction Gears
    Ship's Service Generators
    two 100Kw 120V D.C.
    one 60Kw 120V D.C.
    three General Motors 3-268A auxiliary services engines
    single propeller, 3,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    USS Carib (AT-82)
    Carib 152k USS Carib (AT-82) commissioning ceremony, 24 July 1943, at Charleston, S.C.
    Navy Yard Charleston photo # 1152-43 from "the Towline" the National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors magazine, 1 September 1996.    		 Stan Svec
    Carib 91k USS Carib (AT-82) underway near Charleston Navy Yard probably shortly after commissioning in July 1943.
    US National Archives, RG-19-LCM, Photo # 19-N-48521, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Mike Green
    Carib 72k Port bow down view of USS Carib (AT-82) underway on the Cooper River, off Charleston, S.C., 2 August 1943.
    Navy Yard Charleston photo # 1176-43    		 Robert Hall
    Carib 68k Port broadside bow down view of USS Carib (AT-82) underway on the Cooper River, off Charleston, S.C., 2 August 1943
    Navy Yard Charleston photo # 1177-43    		 Robert Hall
    Carib 82k Port quarter view of USS Carib (AT-82) underway on the Cooper River, off Charleston, S.C., 2 August 1943.
    Navy Yard Charleston photo # 1178-43    		 Robert Hall
    Carib 52k Starboard quarter view of USS Carib (AT-82) underway on the Cooper River, off Charleston, S.C., 2 August 1943.
    Navy Yard Charleston photo # 1173-43    		 Robert Hall
    Carib 57k Stern view of USS Carib (AT-82) underway on the Cooper River, off Charleston, S.C., 2 August 1943.
    Navy Yard Charleston photo # 1174-43    		 Robert Hall
    Carib 46k Bow view of USS Carib (AT-82) underway on the Cooper River, off Charleston, S.C., 2 August 1943.
    Navy Yard Charleston photo # 1170-43    		 Robert Hall
    Carib 30k USS Carib (AT-82) underway, date and location unknown. National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    ARC Sebastián de Benalcázar (RM-73)
    Carib 30k Ex-USS Carib (AT-82) in Colombian naval service as ARC Sebastián de Benalcázar (RM-73), at anchor, date and location unknown. Luis Bernardo Castro Villegas
    USS Carib (AT-82/ATF-82)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Gunn, Aubrey Hazel USN24 July 1943 - 1944
    02LT. Billig, August Blaze USN1944 - 1946
    03LT. Paquette, Lorenzo Henry USN1946 - 24 January 1946
    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 Fleet Tug (AT) Photo Index Back To The Fleet Ocean Tug (ATF) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 14 February 2014