Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Left patch contributed by Rich Tetrault via NAFTS, Right patch contributed by Randy Skate via NAFTS

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USCGC Lipan (WMEC-85)
ex
 USNS Lipan (T-ATF-85) (1973 - 1980)
 USS Lipan (ATF-85) (1944 - 1973)
 USS Lipan (AT-85) (1943 - 1944)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Alpha - Uniform - Zulu
 NAUZ
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons






Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (2)
Second Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2)
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Fourth Row - Korean Service Medal (4) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (2-Vietnam) - Vietnam Service Medal (3)
Fifth Row - Humanitarian Service Medal (1-Frequent Wind) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (2) - Philippines Liberation Medal
Fifth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korean War Service Medal

USNS Lipan (T-ATF-85) was transferred to the US Coast Guard and commissioned USCGC Lipan (WMEC-85)
Navajo Class Fleet Tug:
  • Laid down, 30 May 1942, at United Engineering Co., San Francisco, CA.
  • Launched, 17 September 1942
  • Commissioned USS Lipan (AT-85), 21 April 1943, LT. Neal. R. Terpening USN in command
  • Redesignated Fleet Ocean Tug (ATF-85), 13 April 1944
  • During World War II USS Lipan was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Marianas operation
    Capture and occupation of Saipan, 15 to 19 July 1944
    Capture and occupation of Guam, 21 July to 15 August 1944     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 20 April 1945

  • USS Lipan was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    8 July to 1 September 194824 January to 9 July 1948
    16 to 18 February 1951 

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

    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    North Korean Aggression
    15 to 25 July 1950
    18 September to 2 November 1950     		Inchon Landing
    15 to 17 September 1950
    Communist China Aggression
    3 November 1850 to 9 January 1951     		Korea, Summer-Fall 1953
    16 June 1953
    4 to 13, 15, and 24 to 27 July 1953

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

    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II
    19 October to 21 November 1966
    1 January to 5 February 1967     		Tet Counteroffensive
    5 February to 12March 1968
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III
    20 December 1967 to 18 January 1968     		 

  • Decommissioned and assigned to the Military Sealift Command (MSC), 31 July 1973 and placed in service as USNS Lipan (T-ATF-85)
  • Placed out of service, circa 1980 and transferred on loan to the Coast Guard
  • Commissioned, USCGC Lipan (WMEC-85), 30 September 1980
  • Decommissioned, 31 March 1988 and returned to US Naval custody
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 23 January 1989
  • USS Lipan earned two battle stars for World War II service, four battle stars for Korean War service and three campaign stars for Vietnam War service
  • Final Disposition, sunk as a target, 22 January 1990
    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 12-278 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 Source
    USS Lipan (ATF-85)
    Lipan 184k Lipan (AT-85) launching, 17 September 1942, at United Engineering Co., San Francisco, CA. Alan Owens
    Lipan
    80-G-63977    		 166k USS Lipan (AT-85) in San Francisco Bay, 2 May 1943, a few days after she was commissioned.
    US National Archives photo #'s 80-G-63977 and 80-G-63979, US Navy photos taken by aircraft from US Naval Air Station Alameda CA.    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Lipan
    80-G-63979    		 133k
    Barry 258k USS Lipan (ATF-85) at Kerama Retto, 30 May 1945, alongside USS Barry (APD-29) Barry is fitted with a wooden caisson that was crafted to fit over the hole in her hull. This allowed her to be refloated and prepared for her new role. She sank finally on 21 June, while acting as a decoy to lure Kamikazes away from more valuable targets.
    A National Archives and Records Administration. photo from "Fire from The Sky" by Robert C. Stern.    		 Robert Hurst
    LSM-83 51k USS Lipan (ATF-85) moored outboard of the decommissioned USS Barry (APD-29) at Kerama Rhetto, circa late-May early-June 1945. Off Barry's port side is USS LST-53 and USS LSM-83. Barry was used as a decoy ship to lure suicide planes into burned out ships. Lipan's job was to tow her. Ken Roberts to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    Lipan 522k USS Lipan (ATF-85) moored outboard of USS Horace A. Bass (APD-124) at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, 8 April 1946.
    US Naval Shipyard Mare Island photo.    		 Ed Zajkowski
    Lipan 121k USS Lipan (ATF-85) underway with a tow, circa late 1940s, location unknown.
    US National Archives Photo # USN 1495881, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Mike Green
    Union 77k USS Union (AKA-106)'s LCVPs pass USS Lipan (ATF-85), as they move toward the beach, 18 July 1950, as U.S. Forces land unopposed at Pohang, South Korea.
    LIFE Magazine Archives - Carl Mydans Photographer, shared by Peter DeForest. Used for educational and non-commercial purpose.    		 Mike Green
    Union 75k
    Lipan 69k USS Lipan (ATF-85) pulling into Dog Easy (DE) Docks, NavSta Pearl Harbor, HI, September 1952 Submitted by Nils Pearson to National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Lipan 27k USS Lipan (ATF-85) underway, date and location unknown. Submitted by Wil Swift to National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Lipan 51k USS Lipan (ATF-85) moored pierside, circa 1951, location unknown. Submitted by Don Welch to National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Lipan 43k USS Lipan (ATF-85) off the Vietnam coast, circa spring 1965. Submitted by Gordon Nasse to National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Lipan 47k USS Lipan (ATF-85) moored pierside, circa 1967, location unknown. Submitted by Joe Hilpert to National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Lipan 60k USS Lipan (ATF-85) underway, circa 1969, location unknown. Submitted by Doug Hadland to National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    USNS Lipan (T-ATF-85)
    Lipan 38k USNS Lipan (T-AFT-85) underway, circa mid 1970s, location unknown. Submitted by Joe Siesel to National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Lipan 22k USNS Lipan (T-AFT-85) underway, circa mid 1970s, location unknown. Submitted by Joe Siesel to National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    USCGC Lipan (WMEC-85)
    Lipan 20k USCGC Lipan (WMEC-85) off Key West, FL, circa 1980s Submitted by Larry Richter to National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Lipan 39k USCGC Lipan (WMEC-85) under way, date and location unknown. Submitted by Rich Tetrault to National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Lipan 32k USCGC Lipan (WMEC-85) moored pierside, date and location unknown. Ken Laesser
    Lipan 219k USCGC Lipan (WMEC-85) moored pierside at Trumbo Point, Key West, Florida, date unknown. Photo by Raymond L. Blazevic.
    Florida Keys - Public Libraries Photo # MM00036234    		 Robert Hurst
    USS / USNS Lipan (AT-85 / ATF-85 / T-ATF-85)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Terpening, Neal Raymond, USN21 April 1943 - 7 December 1943
    02LT. Beyer, Fred William USN7 December 1943 - 1944
    03LT. Frank, Louis Burdett USN1944 - 25 July 1944
    04LT. Terpening, Neal Raymond USN25 July 1944 - December 1945
    05LT. Ploof, Kenneth USN (acting)December 1945 - 31 December 1945
    06LT. Terpening, Neal Raymond USN31 December 1945 - 1946
    07LT. Hughson, Robert Marshall, USN1946 - 1947
    08LT. Butler, Francis Andrew, USN (USNA 1943)1947 - 1948
    09LCDR. Smith, Howard Kincaid, USN1950 - ?
    10LCDR. Fitzgerald, Donald Lloyd, USN1955 - 1957
    11LT. Anderson, Curtis Odean, USN (USNA 1953)1960 - 26 June 1962
    12LT. Cumming III, Richard Stockton, USN26 June 1962 - 24 April 1964
    13LT. Viessmann, Alex Jan, USN24 April 1964 - 29 December 1965
    14LT. Chandler, David Fessenden, USN :RADM29 December 1965 - December 1967
    15LT. DeMarke III, Joseph, USNDecember 1967 - 5 June 1969
    16LT. Haberman Jr., Alfred, USN5 June 1969 - January 1971
    17LCDR. Edmiston, James Benjamin (Jim), USNJanuary 1971 - August 1972
    18LT. Genet, Richard Paul, USN (USNA 1965)August 1972 - 31 July 1973
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    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
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 29 September 2023