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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Contributed by Rich Tetrault via NAFTS

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Mataco (ATF-86)
ex
USS Mataco (AT-86) (1943 - 1944)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Bravo - Delta - Romeo NBDR

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (5)
Second Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Medal (with Asia Clasp) - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Third Row - Korean Service Medal (4) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Taiwan Straits) - Vietnam Service Medal (7)
Fourth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal

Navajo Class Fleet Tug:

Laid down, 27 June 1942, at United Engineering Co., San Francisco, CA.

Launched, 14 October 1942

Commissioned USS Mataco (AT-86), 29 May 1943, LT. William G. Baker, USN, in command

Redesignated Fleet Ocean Tug (ATF-86), 15 May 1944

During World War II USS Mataco was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
Gilbert Islands operation, 20 to 24 November 1943	Iwo Jima operation Capture and occupation of Iwo Jima, 23 to 28 February 1945
Marshall Islands operation Occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls, 31 January to 8 February 1944	Okinawa Gunto operation Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 to 14 April and 28 May to 30 June 1945
Marianas operation, June 1944 Capture and occupation of Saipan, 10 to 15 August 1944

Following World War II USS Mataco was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 10 September 1945 to 16 April 1946

During the Korean War USS Mataco participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Korean War Campaigns
North Korean Aggression 18 September to 2 November 1950	Inchon Landing 13 to 17 September 1950
Communist China Aggression 3 to 28 November 1950	Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952 14 September 1952 28 September to 16 October 1952

During the Vietnam War USS Mataco participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Vietnam War Campaigns
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II 19 to 22 April 1967 5 to 31 May 1967	Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969 13 to 21 October 1969
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III 1 to 12 June 1967 5 to 10 July 1967	Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970 1 to 5 January 1970 28 January to 1 February 1970
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV 18 to 30 May 1968 7 to 11 June 1968	Consolidation II 9 to 11 December 1971 18 to 23 December 1971
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V 10 to 31 August 1968

Decommissioned, 1 October 1977

Laid up in the Reserve Fleet

Struck from the Naval Register, 1 October 1979

USS Mataco (ATF-86) earned earned five battle stars for World War II service, four battle stars for Korean War service and seven campaign stars for Vietnam War service

Sold for scrapping by the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS), 1 April 1979

Resold for foreign commercial service, date unknown, as a "party" boat at Acapulco, Mexico

Laid up (date unknown) and moored to a buoy at N 16'50'30.2 W 99'54'16.6 at Acapulco Mexico

Final Disposition, sunk, date unknown, after 12 years of neglect at the buoy in 60 feet of water and remains there today

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
093908607	339k	*USS Mataco* (ATF-86) and USS Sarsi (AFT-111) moored at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, T.H., circa 1945. Note YW-118** in the backkground.	Hank Zaletel
	77k	*USS Mataco* (ATF-86)** underway, date and location unknown.	Bruce Billig for his father CDR. August Billig USN Ret (deceased), CO USS Mataco (ATF-86) 1944-46
	71k	*USS Mataco* (ATF-86)** circa 1960s. location unknown.	Submitted by Don Mosley to National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
	190k	*USS Mataco* (ATF-86)** under way in Subic Bay, Philippines, 3 November 1969. US National Archives Photo No. K-79156 by PH1 Chow, from the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command	US Naval History and Heritage Command
	217k	*USS Mataco* (ATF-86)** under way date and location unknown. US Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo No. NH 82590	Mike Green
	179k	*USS Mataco* (ATF-86)** under way circa 1970s, location unknown. US Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo No. NH 86156-KN	US Naval History and Heritage Command
	191k	*USS Mataco* (ATF-86)** personnel on board and alongside the ship circa 1970s, location unknown. Note: Insignia on ship, "SERVRON ONE [Service Squadron One], Primus Ducere Salvus Pacificus." US Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo No. NH 86157-KN	US Naval History and Heritage Command

USS Mataco Ship Decals
Contributed by Wolfgang Hechler	Contributed by Wolfgang Hechler	Contributed by Wolfgang Hechler	Contributed by Wolfgang Hechler

USS Mataco (AT / ATF-86)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	LT. Baker, William Gilbert, USN	29 May 1943 - 1 October 1944
02	LTjg. Hall, Gilbert Otis, USNR	1 October 1944 - 1 November 1944
03	LT. Billig, August Blaze, USN	1 November 1944 - October 1946
04	LT. Reynolds, Lester Laurence, USN	October 1946 - January 1948
05	LT. Murphy, Lewis James, USN	February 1948 - March 1950
06	LT. Wilson, Frank Preston, USN	March 1950 - April 1952
07	LT. Danehower, James Howard, USN	April 1952 - May 1954
08	LT. Ives Jr., John Reffyling, USN	May 1954 - 1956
09	LT. McGonagle, William Loren, USN	August 1957 - March 1959
10	LT. Kemble, Richard Ellis, USN	March 1959 - March 1960
11	LT. Shafer, William John Enoch, USN	March 1960 - 24 July 1962
12	LT. Clement Jr., Carl Clarence, USN (USNA 1955)	24 July 1962 - 2 July 1964
13	LT. Evans, Alton Ray USN	2 July 1964 - October 1966
14	LCDR. Ware, Downey Moncure, USN	October 1966 - 1968
15	LCDR. Clair, Robert Arthur, USN	1968 - 10 June 1970
16	LT. Smith, Jerry Lynn< USN	10 June 1970 - November 1971
17	LT. Klaas, Jack Ulrich, USN	November 1971 - March 1973
18	LCDR. Smith, J. Palmer, USN	March 1973 - July 1975
19	LCDR. Smith Jr., Thomas Hiram, USN (USNA 1969)	July 1975 - 11 August 1977
20	LT. Gavett Jr., Wallace Leonard, USN (USNA 1972)	11 August 1977 - 1 October 1977


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

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 22 March 2024

NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Mataco (ATF-86)ex USS Mataco (AT-86) (1943 - 1944)

USS Mataco (ATF-86)
ex
USS Mataco (AT-86) (1943 - 1944)