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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Don McGrogan BMCS, USN (Ret.) - Popular Patch

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Tawakoni (ATF-114)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Whiskey - Romeo - Oscar
 NWRO
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons





Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (6 April 1945) - Navy Unit Commendation
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 (3) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Taiwan Straits, 2-Quemoy-Matsu, 1-Vietnam) - Vietnam Service Medal (3)
Fifth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)

USS Tawakoni (ATF-114) was transferred to Taiwan and renamed ROCS Ta Han (A553)
Abnaki Class Fleet Ocean Tug:
  • Laid down, 19 May 1943 as Fleet Tug (AT-114) at United Engineering Co., Alameda, CA., 8 October 1943.
  • Launched, 23 October 1943
  • Reclassified as Fleet Ocean Tug (ATF-114), 15 May 1944
  • Commissioned USS Tawakoni (ATF-114), 15 September 1944, LCDR. Clarence L. Fourshee Sr., USN in command
  • During World War II USS Tawakoni (ATF-114) assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Iwo Jima operation
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 19 February to 10 March 1945     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 April to 30 June 1945

  • Following World War II USS Tawakoni was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    11 September 1945 to 11 March 194611 July to 1 September 1947
    28 March to 5 April 1946 

  • During the Korean War USS Tawakoni (ATF-114) participated in the following campaigns:

    Korean War Campaign
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Communist China Aggression
    15 November 1950 to 5 January 1951     		Communist China Spring Offensive
    22 April to 5 May 1951

    First UN Counter Offensive
    17 to 20 February 1951
    31 March 1951
    13 to 21 April 1951     		 

  • During the Vietnam War USS Tawakoni (ATF-114) participated in the following campaigns:

    Vietnam War Campaign
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VI
    13 November to 23 December 1968
    13 to 24 January 1969
    8 to 13 February 1969
    17 to 22 February 1969     		Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970
    21 to 24 March 1970
    Tet 69/Counteroffensive
    23 February 1969     		 

  • Decommissioned, 1 June 1978
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 June 1978
  • USS Tawakoni earned two battle stars for World War II service, three battle stars for Korean War service and three campaign stars for Vietnam War service
  • Sold, to Taiwan, 1 June 1978, under the Security Assistance Program, renamed ROCS Ta Han (A553)
  • Decommissioned, 1 November 2020
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,205 t.(lt) 1,675 t.(fl)
    Length 205'
    Beam 38 6"'
    Draft 15' 5" (lim)
    Speed 16.5 kts.
    Complement
    5 Officers
    80 Enlisted
    Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.
    Armament
    one single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount
    two twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    two single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Propulsion
    As Built
    four Busch-Sulzer (mod 12-278) Diesel-electric engines
    Ship's Service Generators
     two Diesel-drive 100Kw 120V/240V D.C.
     one Diesel-drive 200Kw 120V/240 D.C.
    Modernized
    four Alco Diesel engines driving four General Electric generators and 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 Tawakoni (ATF-114)
    Tawakoni
    093911413    		 289k
    Namesake
    Tawakoni - The Tawakoni (also Tahuacano and Tehuacana) are a Southern Plains Native American tribe, closely related to the Wichitas. They historically spoke a Wichita language of the Caddoan language family. Currently, they are enrolled in the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes, a federally recognized tribe.
    Photo - Wichita Indian, Grass House. Near Anadarko, I.T. SMU Libriaies - U.S. West: Photographs, Manuscripts, and Imprints
    Flickr - U.S. West: Photographs and Images    		 Tommy Trampp
    Tawakoni 860k USS Tawakoni (ATF-114) under construction at United Engineering Co., Alameda, CA., 8 October 1943. USS Watersee (ATF-117) is on the left.
    A US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Alan Owens
    Tawakoni 850k Starboard bow view of USS Tawakoni (ATF-114) under construction at United Engineering Co., Alameda, CA., 8 October 1943. USS Potawatomi (ATF-109) is in the background.
    A US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Alan Owens
    Tawakoni 671k USS Tawakoni (ATF-114) launching, 23 October 1943, at United Engineering Co., Alameda, CA.
    A US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Alan Owens
    Tawakoni 828k From right to left; USS Tawakoni (ATF-114), USS Tenino (ATF-115) and USS Tolova (ATF-116) moored at the fitting out pier United Engineering Co., Alameda, CA., 6 July 1944
    A US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Alan Owens
    Tawakoni 73k USS Tawakoni (ATF-114) probably upon her return to San Francisco from the western Pacific in May 1946. Note the improvised extension to her Diesel exhaust pipe, which had apparently been found to be unsatisfactory as built.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo No. NH 80007    		 Mike Green
    Tawakoni 110k USS Tawakoni (ATF-114) towing the aft-section of the tanker SS Fort Dearborn into Honolulu, T. H., circa March 1947.
    US Navy photo.    		 Tommy Trampp
    Tawakoni
    093911417    		 840k USS Tawakoni (ATF-114) underway, 14 March 1947, off the Hawaiian Islands.
    Official U.S. Navy Photos    		 CAPT. Ned Lundquist USN Ret.
    Tawakoni
    093911418    		 676k
    Tawakoni 41k USS Tawakoni (ATF-114) rigging up to lay beach gear, Pearl Harbor, 1958. Submitted by George Bauer
    to NAFTS
    National Association
    of Fleet Tug Sailors
    St. Louis 78k USS Tawakoni (ATF-114) and USS St. Louis (LKA-116) moored pierside at Naval Station Subic Bay, Philippine Islands, circa 1972. Photo by Patrick Doyle, 9th Motor Transport Bn, 4th Marines
    Tawakoni 1164k USS Tawakoni (ATF-114) preparing to get underway at Naval Base Subic Bay, Philippine Islands in 1974. Photo by Terry Rioux TM2 USS Coucal
    Tawakoni
    093911404    		 102k USS Tawakoni (ATF-114) underway, 28 February 1978, off Oahu, Hawaii.
    U.S. Navy Fleet Composite Squadron One negative # VC-1 04813-2-78 by PH3 T.J. Pfrang    		 CAPT. Ned Lundquist USN Ret.
    Tawakoni
    093911416    		 633k USS Tawakoni (ATF-114) underway, circa 1978, off Oahu, Hawaii, note Diamond Head in the background.
    Official U.S. Navy Photo    		 CAPT. Ned Lundquist USN Ret.
    ROCS Ta Han (A553)
    Tawakoni 46k Ex-USS Tawakoni (ATF-114) in Taiwanese service as ROCS Ta Han (A553)  
    Tawakoni
    093911414    		 56k ROCS Ta Han (A553) decommissioning ceremony, 1 November 2020. Young Daily News Tommy Trampp
    Tawakoni
    093911412    		 39k ROCS Ta Han (A553) decommissioning ceremony, 1 November 2020. Dave Shirlaw, Seawaves Magazine
    USS Tawakoni (ATF-114)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Fourshee Sr., Clarence Lucius, USN 15 September 1944 - 13 October 1946
    02LT. Green, Keith 'A'., USN12 October 1946 - 12 February 1947
    03LT. Oaks, Leslie Charles, USN12 February 1947 - 21 April 1948
    04LTjg. Block, Claus Arnold, USN21 April 1948 - 20 November 1948
    05LT. Sherwood, Charles Grady, USN20 November 1948 - 1 July 1950
    06LT. Scribner, Louis Burton, USN1 July 1950 - 27 May 1952
    07LT. Mowrer, Robert Acre, USN27 May 1952 - 15 May 1954
    08LT. Jackson, Earl Alonzo, USN15 May 1954 - 5 May 1956
    09LT. Weaver, John Clark, USN (USNA 1955)5 May 1956 - 3 May 1958
    10LT. Schuster, Dale George, USN3 May 1958 - 4 November 1960
    11LT. Hilder, Frederick Asa, USN4 November 1960 - 14 July 1962
    12LT. Gandy, John David, USN14 July 1962 - 26 May 1964
    13LT. Mills, Neal Owen, USN26 May 1964 - 16 July 1966
    14LT. Patterson, Larry Lenker, USN16 July 1966 - 18 July 1967
    15LT. Haney, William Clay, USN18 July 1967 - 26 December 1968
    16LCDR. Mulhearn, Raymond Robert, USN26 December 1968 - 15 May 1971
    17LT. Heinecke, Walter Richard, USN15 May 1971 - 28 July 1972
    18LT. Deda, Donald James, USN28 July 1972 - 1 July 1974
    19LT. O'Donnell, Gerald James, USN (USNA 1969)1 July 1974 - 15 September 1976
    20LT. Gano, Richard Dale, USN (USNA 1969)15 September 1976 - 28 April 1978
    21LCDR. Ostertag, James Joseph, USN28 April 1978 - 1 June 1978
    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
    ROCS Ta Han (A553)-1
    ROCS Ta Han (A553)-2
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    Last Updated 21 June 2024