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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Tawasa (ATF-92)
ex
 USS Tawasa (AT-92) (1943 - 1944)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Uniform - Xray - Delta
 NUXD
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons





Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - China Service Medal (extended)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (3)- World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal (2)- Korean Service Medal (2)
Fourth Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Korea) - Vietnam Service Medal (7) - Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Fifth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)
Navajo Class Fleet Tug:
  • Laid down, 7 September 1942, at Commercial Iron Works, Portland, OR.
  • Launched, 22 February 1943
  • Commissioned USS Tawasa (AT-92), 17 July 1943, LT. Fred C. Clark, USN in command
  • During World War II USS Tawasa was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Gilbert Islands operation, 25 November to 6 December 1943 Marianas operation
    Assault and occupation of Saipan, 15 June to 7 July 1944
    Marshall Islands operation
    Occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls, 31 January to 8 February 1944
    Occupation of Eniwetok Atoll, 17 to 24 February     		 

  • Redesignated Fleet Ocean Tug (ATF-92), 15 May 1944
  • Following World War II USS Tawasa was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    22 February to 13 August 194714 to 19 August 1947

  • During the Korean War USS Tawasa participated in the following campaigns:

    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952
    19 July to 10 August 1952
    3 to 30 November 1952     		Third Korean Winter
    1 to 5 December 1952
    29 December 1952 to 3 January 1953

  • During the Vietnam War USS Tawasa participated in the following campaigns:

    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV
    15 April to 20 May 1968
    30 May to 30 June 1968     		Sanctuary Counteroffensive
    23 to 26 May 1970
    18 to 20 June 1970
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V
    1 to 13 July 1968     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII
    30 July to 3 August 1970
    Tet 69/Counteroffensive
    20 April to 24 May 1969
    2 to 4 June 1969     		Consolidation II Consolidation II
    21 February to 28 March 1972
    Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969
    13 to 14 June 1969
    18 to 21 June 1969
    25 to 28 July 1969
    5 to 7 August 1969     		 

  • Decommissioned, 31 March 1975, at Naval Station San Diego, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 April 1975
  • USS Tawasa earned three battle stars for World War II service, two battle stars for Korea War service and seven campaign stars for Vietnam war service
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping by the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS), 1 August 1976
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,235 t.(lt) 1,674 t.(fl)
    Length 205'
    Beam 38' 6"
    Draft 15' 4"
    Speed 16k.5kts.
    Complement 85
    Armament
    one single 3"/50 gun mount
    two twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    two single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Propulsion diesel-electric, four General Motors 12-278A diesel main engines driving four General Electric generators and three General Motors 3-268A auxiliary services engines
    single propeller, 3,600shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    Tawasa 454k USS Tawasa (ATF-92) underway, circa 1943-1945, location unknown. David Buell for his father CWO4 Benton E. Buell USN, Ret. USS Tawasa Chief Engineer, 1962-63
    Tawasa 357k USS Tawasa (ATF-92) moored outboard of an unidentified minesweeper, date and location unknown. Photo by Steven J Rawlings USS Tawasa, contributed by John Donaldson.
    Tawasa 39k USS Tawasa (ATF-92) at anchor, circa April 1945. Note the union jack at half staff, location unknown. Submitted by Ken Dower to National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Tawasa 164k USS Tawasa (ATF-92) under way, 4 November 1953, following a regular overhaul at San Francisco Naval Shipyard.
    US National Archives and Records Administration, ARC Identifier (National Archives Identifier) 7577130    		 Robert Hurst
    Tawasa 215k USS Tawasa (ATF-92) at Long Beach Naval Shipyard, 14 September 1955, showing radar arrangement.
    US National Archives and Records Administration, ARC Identifier (National Archives Identifier) 7577136    		 Robert Hurst
    Tawasa 35k USS Tawasa (ATF-92) underway, date and location unknown. Scottie. D. Williams USS Tawasa
    Tawasa 108k USS Tawasa (ATF-92) underway, circa 1960s-1970s, location unknown.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command, photo # Unknown, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Mike Green
    Tawasa 134k USS Tawasa (ATF-92) underway, date and location unknown. Photo from "the Towline" the National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors magazine, 1 September 1996. Stan Svec
    Tawasa 37k USS Tawasa (ATF-92) moored pierside at Naval Station Adak, AK., date unknown. Submitted by Charles Roop to National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Tawasa 59k USS Tawasa (ATF-92) underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo.. Robert Hurst
    Tawasa 574k USS Tawasa (ATF-92) underway, circa 1950s, location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 David Buell for his father CWO4 Benton E. Buell USN, Ret. USS Tawasa Chief Engineer, 1962-63
    Tawasa 64k USS Tawasa (ATF-92) underway location unknown, circa 1962-63. David Buell for his father CWO4 Benton E. Buell USN, Ret. USS Tawasa Chief Engineer, 1962-63
    Evans
    0575439    		 115k USS Frank E. Evans (DD-754) alongside USS Tawasa (ATF-92) after collision, 4 1969. Ron Reeves
    Tawasa 65k USS Tawasa (ATF-92)'s Decommissioning Ceremony Invitation for the decommissioning of the ship at Naval Station San Diego, 31 March 1975. Submitted by S. Dale Hargrave
    Additional Tawasa Ship's Patches
    Tawasa
    Contributed by David Buell    		 Tawasa
    Contributed by Mike Smolinski

    For more photos and information about USS Tawasa see;
  • Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
  • Welcome Aboard Brochure Covers and Decommissioning Ceremony Booklet
    • Commanding Officers
    01LT. Clark, Fred C., USN17 July 1943 - 27 May 1944
    02LT. Thurman, Robert Kenneth, USNR27 May 1944 - 20 October 1944
    03LT. Knox, Halbert Henry, USNR20 October 1944 - 11 May 1945
    04LT. Oaks, Leslie Charles, USN11 May 1945 - 17 September1945
    05LT. Southworth, Paul Constant, USN17 September 1945 - 22 November 1945
    06LT. Kuykendall, William Oliger, USN22 November 1945 - 1 August 1946
    07LT. Crawford, Charlie Donald, USN1 August 1946 - 13 March 1948
    08LT. Martin, William John, USN13 March 1948 - 28 January 1949
    09LCDR. Roberts, Andrew Jackson, USN28 January 1949 - 13 October 1951
    10LTjg. Jordan, Francis Pershing, USN13 October 1951 - 5 July 1952
    11LT. Leidholdt, Edwin Marian, USN5 July 1952 - 8 January 1954
    12LCDR. Conolly, Theron Allen, USN8 January 1954 - 19 May 1956
    13LT. Hammans, William Harold, USN19 May 1956 - 26 March 1958
    14LT. Rostan, David Anthony, USN26 March 1958 - 14 April 1959
    15LT. Roshenberger, Roger Henry, USN14 April 1959 - 25 May 1961
    16LT. Maxwell, John Anthony, USN25 May 1961 - 22 August 1963
    17LT. Schrader Jr., Harry Christian, USN (USNA 1965) :VADM22 August 1963 - 19 July 1964
    18LCDR. Edwards, Joe Duke, USN (USNA 1956)19 July 1964 - 22 June 1966
    19LT. Roop, Charles Waterman, USN22 June 1966 - 1 February 1968
    20LT. Bender, Willis Dwight (Wild Bill), USN1 February 1968 - 6 April 1970
    21LT. Waters, Gordy Waymond, USN6 April 1970 - 22 May 1972
    22LCDR. Nelson, Barron Craig, USN22 May 1972 - 1 October 1973
    23LT. Turner, Douglas Kearney, USN1 October 1973 - 31 March 1975
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
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    Last Updated 16 August 2024