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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USCGC Comanche (WMEC-202)
ex
 USS Wampanoag (ATA-202) (1948 - 1959)
 USS ATA-202 (1944 - 1948)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - India - Lima - Alpha
 NILA
USS ATA-202 Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal

USCGC Comanche (WMEC-202) Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
National Defense Service Medal - Coast Guard Battle Efficiency Award - Coast Guard Sea Service Ribbon
Sotoyomo Class Auxiliary Fleet Tug
  • Planned and authorized as Rescue Ocean Tug (ATR-129)
  • Reclassified Auxiliary Fleet Tug (ATA-202),15 May 1944
  • Laid down, 24 August 1944, at Gulfport Boiler & Welding, Port Arthur, TX.
  • Launched, 10 October 1944
  • Commissioned, USS ATA-202, 8 December 1944, LT. Ralph M. Kurz, USNR in command
  • During World War II USS ATA-202 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 28 May to 10 June 1945
  • Decommissioned, 27 October 1947, at Orange, TX.
  • Named USS Wampanoag (ATA-202), 16 July 1948
  • Decommissioned and laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Texas Group, Orange, date unknown
  • Loaned to the US Coast Guard, 25 February 1959,
  • Commissioned USCGC Comanche (WMEC-202)
  • Struck from the Naval Register and permanently transferred to the US Coast Guard, 1 June 1959
  • USS ATA-202 earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Decommissioned by the Coast Guard, 30 January 1980
  • Sold for commercial service, to Dave Howard of Tacoma, WA. in 1991
  • Laid up at Tacoma, WA. in 2000
  • An attempt to acquire Comanche by the American Fleet Tug Museum was not successful in 2006
  • Donated to the Comanche 202 Foundation to serve as a non-profit historic and educational vessel in the south Puget Sound area
  • Current status, operational, moored at Tyree Marina, Tacoma, WA.
    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 60Kw 120V. D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    single propeller, 1,200shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS ATA-202
    ATA-202 392k ATA-202 underway near Port Arthur, TX. probably during builders trials in November 1944. Photo by Business Men’s Studio,Beaumont TX. Bill Wisby
    ATA-202 350k ATA-202 underway near Port Arthur, TX. probably during builders trials in November 1944. Photo from the files of Gulfport Boiler & Welding, Port Arthur, TX. Jim Swank
    USCGC Comanche (WMEC-202)
    ATA-202 65k Ex-USS Wampanoag (ATA-202) in US Coast Guard service at USCGC Comanche (WMEC-202) underway circa 1959, location unknown.
    Official US Coast Guard photo from "Jane's Fighting Ships" 1961-62 edition.    		 Robert Hurst
    ATA-202 62k USCGC Comanche (WMEC-202) underway in San Francisco Bay, 16 November 1971.
    US Coast Guard photos.    		 Courtesy NAFTS, Contributed by Dick Levesque RMC USCG Ret.
    ATA-202 51k
    ATA-202 71k
    ATA-202 44k
    ATA-202 215k USCGC Comanche (WMEC-202) moored pierside at Monterey, CA. in April 1974. Photo ©Richard Leonhardt
    Ex-USCGC Comanche (WMEC-202) (Comanche 202 Foundation )
    ATA-202 103k Ex-USCGC Comanche (WMEC-202) at the ship breakers yard, 11 March 2006.
    Courtesy the National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors Photos 093820216 and 093820217 by Joe Peterson. Photos 093820218 and 093820219 by Bruce Martens    		 Robert Hurst
    ATA-202 100k
    ATA-202 189k
    ATA-202 127k
    ATA-202 51k Ex-USCGC Comanche (WMEC-202) moored on the Foss Waterway at Tacoma, WA. Pipes in front of Comanche are from the dredge working the area. Joe Peterson
    ATA-202 88k Ex-USCGC Comanche (WMEC-202) at anchor north of Olympia, WA., 14 June 2008. Joe Peterson
    ATA-202 240k Volunteers work on restoring Ex-USCGC Comanche (WMEC-202) in 2008. Joe Peterson
    ATA-202 205k
    ATA-202 229k
    ATA-202 488k
    ATA-202 597k
    ATA-202 208k
    ATA-202 309k
    ATA-202 246k
    ATA-202 3341k
    ATA-202 691k Ex-USCGC Comanche (WMEC-202) sailing away from Olympia, WA., 5 June 2009. Joe Paterson
    ATA-202 225k Ex-USCGC Comanche (WMEC-202) underway, date and location unknown. Comanche 202 Foundation
    ATA-202
    093820228    		 243k Ex-USCGC Comanche (WMEC-202) moored at the north breakwater, west entrance Tyee Marina, Tacoma, WA., date unknown. Comanche 202 Foundation
    ATA-202 223k Ex-USCGC Comanche (WMEC-202) underway, date and location unknown. Comanche 202 Foundation
    ATA-202
    093820229    		 267k Ex-USCGC Comanche (WMEC-202) underway for Seattle, WA., in May 2019. Comanche 202 Foundation
    USS Wampanoag (ATA-202)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Kurz, Ralph M., USNR8 December 1944 - 29 November 1945ATA-202
    02LTjg. Blinzler, Urban John, USN29 November 1945 - ?ATA-202
    01LCDR. Parker, Paul A., USCGno datesWATA-202
    02LCDR. Worth, David Arnold, USCG (USCGA 1961)1969 - 1971WMEC-202
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Comanche Newsletter May 2017
    Comanche Newsletter December 2018
    Comanche Newsletter August 2019
    Comanche Newsletter Fall 2020
    Comanche 2019 New Years Eve Celebration Invitation
    Historic Naval Ships Association - USCGC Comanche (ATA-202, WATA-202, WMEC-202)
    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 9 October 2020