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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Matt Kellison via NAFTS

USCGC Cherokee (WMEC-165)
ex
 USCGC Cherokee (WAT-165) (1946 - 1965)
 USS Cherokee (ATF-66) (1944 - 1946)
 USS Cherokee (AT-66) (1940 - 1944)

USS Cherokee - International Radio Call Sign:
November - Alpha - Xray - Delta
 NAXD
USCGC Cherokee - International Radio Call Sign:
November - November - Golf - Papa
 NNGP
USS Cherokee Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Defense Service Medal (with "A" device)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
USCG Cherokee Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Coast Guard Unit Commendation with "O" device
Second Row - Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation with "O" device and 3 Gold stars - National Defense Service Medal with 1 Bronze star - Humanitarian Service Medal
Third Row - Coast Guard Special Operations Service ribbon with 1 Gold star - Coast Guard Sea Service Ribbon with 2 Silver stars and 3 Bronze stars - Navy Sea Service ribbon with 2 Bronze Stars
Commandant's Letter of Commendation with "O" device

USS Cherokee (ATF-66) was transferred to the US Coast Guard, Commissioned USCGC Cherokee (WAT-165)
Navajo Class Fleet Ocean Tug:
  • Laid down, 23 December 1938, at Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp., Staten Island, N.Y.
  • Launched, 10 November 1939
  • Commissioned USS Cherokee (AT-66), 26 April 1940. LCDR. Paul L. F. Weaver USN, in command
  • During World War II USS Cherokee was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the following campaign:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    North African occupation
    Algeria-Morocco landings, 8 to 11 November 1942

  • Redesignated Fleet Ocean Tug (ATF-66), 15 May 1944
  • Decommissioned, 29 June 1946, transferred to the US Coast Guard the same day
  • Commissioned USCGC Cherokee (WAT-165), 29 June 1946
  • Redesignated Medium Endurance Cutter WMEC-165 in 1965
  • Decommissioned by the Coast Guard, 28 February 1991, at Norfolk, VA.
  • Returned to Naval custody, date unknown
  • Struck from the Naval Register in 1991
  • USS Cherokee earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sunk as a target
    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 12-567 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 Contributed
    By
    USS Cherokee (AT-66) (ATF-66)
    Cherokee 206k Cherokee (AT-66) at Bethlehem Steel Staten Island Yard, Ship Building Division, 3 April 1940, prior to sea trials.
    US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Alan Owens
    Cherokee 194k Cherokee (AT-66) tied up at Bethlehem Steel Staten Island Yard, Ship Building Division, 3 April 1940, prior to sea trials.
    US Navy photo from "Our Navy" magazine    		 Robert Hurst
    Cherokee 98k USS Cherokee (AT-66) under way near Norfolk Navy Yard soon after her completion in April 1940. The first three ships of the Navajo class fleet ocean tugs were built to a typical pre-war design with numerous portholes in the hull and superstructure.
    US National Archives, RG-19-N (NH) box 57,, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, courtesy ShipScribe.com.    		 Mike Green
    Cherokee
    093906614    		 350k USS Cherokee (AT-66) picked up a total of 23 survivors from torpedoed transport USS Joseph Hewes (AP-50), early evening, 11 November 1942 off Fedala, Morocco.
    Photo by Eliot Elisofon, Life Magazine, getting a scout ride in a USS Philadelphia float plane. Used for educational and non-commercial purpose.    		 John Chiquoine
    Cherokee 128k USS Cherokee (AT-66) under way off Norfolk Navy Yard, 13 March 1942. Her hull portholes have been plated over. The escort carrier to the left is probably HMS Avenger (BAVG-2), which was delivered without an island.
    US National Archives, RG-19-LCM, Photo # 19-N-29463, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Mike Green
    Cherokee 105k USS Cherokee (AT-66) probably photographed at the time of her completion in April 1940.
    US National Archives, RG-19-N (NH) box 57, Photo # 19-N-22660 a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Mike Green
    USCGC Cherokee (WAT-165) (WMEC-165)
    Cherokee 76k USCGC Cherokee (WAT-165) under way, 12 September 1946, location unknown. US Coast Guard Historian's Office
    Cherokee 29k USCGC Cherokee (WAT-165) off US Coast Guard Base, (Berkley) Norfolk, VA., circa mid-1950s. Submitted by Larry Richter to National
    Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Cherokee 43k USCGC Cherokee (WAT-165) under way, date and location unknown. Robert Hurst
    Chilula 54k USCGC Cherokee (WAT-165) with ex-USS Chilula (ATF-153) in tow in 1956 while on her way to the Coast Guard Yard Curtis Bay , MD. for conversion to Coast Guard service.
    US Coast Guard photo.    		 Alan Owens
    Cherokee 42k USCGC Cherokee (WAT-165) under way off the North Carolina coast, 1964.
    US Coast Guard photo    		 National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Cherokee 131k USCGC Cherokee (WAT-165) under way, 2 June 1965. Note the re-opened hull portholes and improved visibility from the pilot house.
    Photo courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Mike Green
    Cherokee 38k USCGC Cherokee (WMEC-165) moored pierside, date and place unknown. Submitted by Jerry Lentz to National
    Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Cherokee 39k USCGC Cherokee (WMEC-165) moored pierside, date and place unknown. Submitted by Matt Kellison to National
    Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Cherokee 34k USCGC Cherokee (WMCE-165) passing under the Berkley Bridge, Norfolk, VA., circa 1960s Submitted by Larry Richter to National
    Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Seneca 74k USCGC Cherokee (WMEC-165) moored pierside astern of USS Seneca (ATF-91) at NavPhib Base Little Creek, VA., in 1971. Submitted by Harvey Naeser to National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    USS Cherokee (AT-66 / ATF-66)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Weaver, Paul Leicester Ford, USN (USNA 1924) :RADM26 April 1940 - August 1941
    02LCDR. Hartenstein, William, USNAugust 1941 - 20 July 1942
    03LT. Lawson, Jacob Frank, USN20 July 1942 - April 1944
    04LT. Johnson, Louis Gerald, USNRApril 1944 - October 1945
    05LT. Harris, Donald Sherman, USNROctober 1945 - 29 June 1946
     Decommissioned29 June 1946
    01CDR. Haglove, Jonas T., USCG29 June 1946 - June 1948
    02CDR. Carpenter, Albert J., USCG June 1948-June 1950
    03CDR. Caskey, Myron W., USCG June 1950-June 1952
    04CDR. Chiswell Jr., Benjamin J., USCG June 1952-June 1954
    05CDR. Forehand Jr., Hersey C., USCG June 1954-June 1956
    06CDR. Keene, Henry C., USCG June 1956-March 1958
    07CDR. Russell, Stanley B., USCG March 1958-June 1959
    08CDR. Thompson, John F., USCG June 1959-June 1961
    09CDR. Banner, Roger H., USCG June 1961-June 1963
    10CDR. McCormack, Harold J., USCG June 1963-August 1965
    11CDR. Schwob, William S., USCG August 1965-July 1967
    12CDR. Fox, W Dennis, USCG July 1967-July 1969
    13CDR. Koll, Victor, USCG July 1969-June 1971
    14CDR. Thompson, Milton J., USCG June 1971-January 1973
    15CDR. Billingham, James S., USCG January 1973-March 1973
    16CDR. O'Donnel, Jack A., USCG March 1973-August 1975
    17CDR. Shytle, Marshall H., USCG August 1975-August 1977
    18CDR. Bastek, Robert A., USCG August 1977-July 1979
    19CDR. Heid, Robert J., USCG July 1979-July 1981
    20CDR. Somers, Laurie J., USCG July 1981-July 1983
    21CDR. Josephson, Carl A., USCG July 1983-July 1985
    22CDR. Preston, Duane I., USCG July 1985-August 1987
    23CDR. Bernard, Thomas E., USCG August 1987-July 1989
    24CDR. Adams, Frederick A., USCG July 1989-February 1991
    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
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    Last Updated 17 February 2023