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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Sunnadin (ATA-197)
ex
USS ATA-197 (1945 - 1948)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - India - Juliet - Romeo NIJR

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
Bottom Row - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Vietnam Service Medal (3) - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

Sotoyomo Class Auxiliary Fleet Tug:

Planned and authorized as Rescue Ocean Tug ATR-124

Reclassified Auxiliary Fleet Tug ATA-197, 15 May 1944

Laid down, 4 December 1944, at Levingston Ship Building Co., Orange, TX.

Launched, 6 February 1945

Commissioned USS ATA-197, 14 March 1945, LT. William A. Rye, USNR in command

During World War II USS ATA-197 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater

Named USS Sunnadin (ATA-197), 16 July 1948

During the Vietnam War USS Sunnadin (ATA-197) participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Vietnam War Campaigns
Vietnam Defense 13 to 24 December 1965	Vietnam Counteroffensive - Phase II 30 December 1966 to 21 January 1967 7 to 27 March 1967
Vietnam Counteroffensive 25 to 31 December 1965

Decommissioned and struck from the Naval Register, 20 November 1969, at Pearl Harbor, HI.

Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown

USS Sunnadin earned three campaign stars for Vietnam War service

Sold in February 1971 to Flynn-Learner, Honolulu, HI.

Resold in 1971 to Luzon Stevedoring Company, Manila, renamed Kahuna

Resold in 1981 to Safesea Shipping International Ltd., Panama, name retained

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

two Diesel-drive 60Kw 120V. D.C. Ship's Service Generators

single propeller, 1,200shp

Size	Image Description	Contributed By
95k	*USS Sunnadin* (ATA-197)** underway outside of Pearl Harbor, H.I. circa 1953-54. Note the catapult on her bow for launching drones for target practice. Photo from "Towline" the National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors magazine, 1 September 1996, courtesy William Vacek USS Sunnadin.	Stan Svec
78k	Crew members of *USS Cocopa* (ATF-101) keep eye on wire rope secured to USS Sunnadin (ATA-197)** during towing session. US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, January 1959.	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
95k	*USS Sunnadin* (ATA-197)** moored pierside, October 1960, Pearl Harbor, H.I.	Charles Tremblay EN2 USN USS Sunnadin
75k	*USS Sunnadin* (ATA-197)** moored pierside, October 1960, Pearl Harbor, H.I.	Charles Tremblay EN2 USN USS Sunnadin
83k	*USS Sunnadin* (ATA-197)** moored pierside, October 1960, Pearl Harbor, H.I.	Charles Tremblay EN2 USN USS Sunnadin
85k	*USS Sunnadin* (ATA-197)** moored pierside, October 1960, Pearl Harbor, H.I.	Charles Tremblay EN2 USN USS Sunnadin
85k	*USS Sunnadin* (ATA-197)** underway off Hawaii, looking aft while towing a barge, date unknown	Photo by Charles Tremblay EN2 USN USS Sunnadin
91k	*USS Sunnadin* (ATA-197)** looking aft while enroute to Kwajalein Atoll with a barge in tow, date unknown	Photo by Charles Tremblay EN2 USN USS Sunnadin
74k	*USS Sunnadin* (ATA-197)** pilot house with an unidentified seaman and the ship's Executive Officer CWO4 Wylie, date unknown	Photo by Charles Tremblay EN2 USN USS Sunnadin
65k	*USS Sunnadin* (ATA-197)**'s starboard bridge wing, CWO4 Wylie on watch, date unknown	Photo by Charles Tremblay EN2 USN USS Sunnadin
111k	*USS Sunnadin* (ATA-197)** underway, view of the ship's 26' Motor Whaleboat, date unknown	Photo by Charles Tremblay EN2 USN USS Sunnadin
67k	*USS Sunnadin* (ATA-197)** moored pierside, Pearl Harbor, HI., 1967	Photo by Ramon Jackson
70k	*USS Sunnadin* (ATA-197)** moored, date and location unknown. US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, December 1962	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
76k	*USS Sunnadin* (ATA-197)** underway at Pearl Harbor, HI., date unknown. US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, December 1966	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.

USS Sunnadin (ATA-197)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	LT. Rye, William A., USNR	14 March 1945 - December 1945
02	LT. Trautmann, Homer F., USNR	December 1945 - March 1946
03	ENS. Morris, Dudley H., USNR	March 1946 - June 1946
04	LTjg. Reed, Wilbur Edwin, USN	June 1946 -1948
05	LT. Belechak, Stephen Clair, USN	1960 - 23 March 1962
06	LT. Billings, Charles Howard, USN	23 March 1962 - June 1964
07	LT. Smallwood, Roger Clinton	June 1964 - 1 October 1966
08	LT. Turpin Jr., Thomas Jefferson, USN	1 October 1966 - 22 July 1967
09	LT. James, Daniel A., USN	22 July 1967 - 1969


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

Last Updated 26 March 2021

NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Sunnadin (ATA-197)ex USS ATA-197 (1945 - 1948)

USS Sunnadin (ATA-197)
ex
USS ATA-197 (1945 - 1948)