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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Kiowa (ATF-72)
ex
 USS Kiowa (AT-72) (1943 - 1944)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Uniform - Lima - Tango
 NULT
Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Glitter (G)olf
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Unit Commendation
Second Row - Navy Expeditionary Medal (1-Cuba) - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1)
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Cuba, 2-Dominican Republic)

USS Kiowa (ATF-72) was loaned to the Dominican Republic and renamed Macorix (RM-21)
Navajo Class Fleet Tug:
  • Laid down, 22 June 1942, at Charleston Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Charleston, S.C.
  • Launched, 5 November 1942
  • Commissioned USS Kiowa (AT-72), 7 June 1943, LT. William O. Kuykendall in command
  • Redesignated Fleet Ocean Tug (ATF-72), 15 May 1944
  • During World War II USS Kiowa was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the following campaign:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944
    Task Group 122.3 - Salvage and Fire Fighting Group (Wreck Dispersal Vessel)

  • Decommissioned, date unknown
  • Transferred (loaned) to the Dominican Republic under terms of the Security Assistance Act in 1972, renamed Macorix (RM-21)
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 15 September 1979
  • Decommissioned by the Dominican Republic in 1986 and returned to US custody
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service, 12 December 1994
  • USS Kiowa earned one battle star for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,164 t.(lt)
    Length 205'
    Beam 38' 6"
    Draft 15' 4" (lim)
    Speed 16.5 kts.
    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
    four .50 cal. mgs
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 2,260 Bbls
    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 Fairbanks Morse Main Reduction Gears
    single propeller, 3,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    Kiowa 35k USS Kiowa (ATF-72) underway, date and location unknown. National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Kiowa 78k USS Kiowa (ATF-72) underway in 1953, location unknown. Alan Owen
    Kiowa 601k USS Kiowa (ATF-72) moored pierside at Genoa,Italy in 1966. Carlo Martinelli
    Kiowa 477k
    Kiowa 197k USS Kiowa (ATF-72) underway in Valletta harbour, Malta in 1966.
    Photo by A & J Pavia from 1966/67 edition of "Jane's Fighting Ships".    		 Robert Hurst
    USS Kiowa (AT-72 / ATF-72)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Kuykendall, William O.7 June 1943 - ?
    02LCDR. Sabin, James Franklinno dates
    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 (AF) Photo Index Back To The Fleet Ocean Tug (ATF) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 12 December 2014