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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Paiute (ATF-159)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Zulu - November - Golf
NZNG

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
Second Row - Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (2) - Navy Expeditionary Medal (2-Cuba) - American Campaign Medal
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Cuba, 1-Dominican Republic)

Abnaki Class Fleet Ocean Tug:

Laid down, 27 February 1945, at Charleston Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Charleston, S.C.

Launched, 4 June 1945

Commissioned USS Paiute (ATF-159), 27 August 1945, LT. Stanley J. Lewandowski in command

Decommissioned, 23 August 1985 at Mayport, FL.

Recommissioned, 30 September 1988

Decommissioned, 7 August 1992

Struck from the Naval Register, 14 February 1995

Transferred to the Maritime Administration, 29 December 1997, for disposal

Final Disposition, scrapped in 2003

Specifications:
Displacement 1,205 t.(lt) 1,646 t.(fl)
Length 205'
Beam 39'
Draft 17' (max)
Speed 16 kts.

Complement

8 Officers

68 Enlisted

Armament

one single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount

two twin 40mm AA gun mounts

two single 20mm AA gun mounts

Propulsion diesel-electric

four General Motors 12-278A diesel main engines driving four General Electric generators

three General Motors 3-268A auxiliary services engines

single propeller, 3,600shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
	386k	*USS Paiute* (ATF-159)** commissioning crew photo taken, 27 August 1945, at Charleston Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Charleston, S.C. (Burton H. Idol S2/c sixth from left, front row.)	Henry Idol for his father Burton H. Idol S2/c USS Paiute.
US National Archives Photo # 80-G-346747	159k	*USS Paiute* (ATF-159)** Off Charleston, South Carolina, 27 August 1945, after completion by the Charleston Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. US National Archives Photo #'s 80-G-346747, 80-G-346746, 19-N-88684, 19-N-88685 and 19-N-88686 US Navy photos now in the collections of the US National Archives	US NH&HC
US National Archives Photo # 80-G-346746	137k
US National Archives Photo # 19-N-88684	108k
US National Archives Photo # 19-N-88685	117k
US National Archives Photo # 19-N-88686	96k
	70k	*USS Paiute* (ATF-159)** preparing to get underway, date and location unknown.	Margaret Rutledge for her father Charlie Rutledge EM, USS Paiute.
	99k	*USS Paiute* (ATF-159)** under way, date and location unknown.	Donal J Holland SKC USN Ret. USS Paiute April 1963 to July 1965
	75k	*USS Paiute* (ATF-159)** under way, date and location unknown.	Donal J Holland SKC USN Ret. USS Paiute April 1963 to July 1965
	238k	*USS Paiute* (ATF-159)** under way in Chesapeake Bay, 7 March 1952. US National Archives photo # 80-G-440056 a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives	USNH&HC
	177k	*USS Paiute* (ATF-159)** at anchor Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. 15 July 1952. US National Archives photo # 80-G-443656 a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives	USNH&HC
	37k	*USS Paiute* (ATF-159)** under way in the Chesapeake Bay, date unknown.	Submitted by Duane Greninger to NAFTS (National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors)
	114k	*USS Paiute* (ATF-159)** under way in July 1965, location unknown. US Naval History and Heritage Command photo courtesy Shipscribe.com.	Mike Green
	200k	Post card image of *USS Paiute* (ATF-159), USS Suribachi (AE-21) and USS English (DD-696)** moored at Naval Station Mayport, Fl., circa 1956 to 1970.	Mike Brock
	97k	*USS Paiute* (ATF-159) under way, location unknown. Photo taken from USS Garcia (DE-1040)** in 1971	Photo by Steve Singlar
	236k	*USS Paiute* (ATF-159)** moored, Pier No. 3 Washington Navy Yard, 1 May 1981. Photo by Don S. Montgomery, USN (Ret). US DefenseImagery photo VIRIN: DN-ST-90-11506	Robert Hurst
	97k	*USS Paiute* (ATF-159), Papago (ATF-160) and USS Recovery (ARS-43) in storage near Portsmouth, VA., 18 October 1994. In the back of the basin are two patrol missile hydrofoil patrol boats of the Pegasus class, three ocean minesweepers, USS Fortify (MSO-446)** and two others. DVIC Photo DNSC9501404	Don S. Montgomery, Defense Visual Information Center
	101k	Ex-*USS Paiute* (ATF-159)** being broken up for scrap at Chesapeake, VA in November 2003.	Alan Owen

USS Paiute (ATF-159)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	LT. Lewandowski, Stanley John, USN	27 August 1945 - August 1947
02	LT. Thompson, James Lydden, USN	August 1947 - ?
03	LT. Garnache, Samuel Cresswell, USN	June 1957 - December 1969
04	LT. Miguel Jr., Theodore, USN	December 1959 - 13 December 1961
05	LT. Price, Carroll Richard, USN	13 December 1961 -1963
06	LT. Mathews, Richard Louis, USN	1963
07	LCDR. Graff, Howard Byron, USN	1965
08	LT. Hardy, James Cecil Clayborn, USN	1966 - 9 January 1970
09	LCDR. Douglass, Willie Buford, USN	9 January 1970 - 1971
10	LCDR. Frost, Bobby Eugene, USN	1971 - January 1973
11	LCDR. Allen, Glenn R., USN	January 1973 - 1974
12	LT. Bishop, Peter Birney, USN (USNA 1968)	1974 - 18 February 1977
13	LT. Ryan III, Dennis Leo, USN (USNA 1970)	18 February 1977 - 24 January 1979
14	LT. Whittle III, Alfred James, USN (USNA 1971)	24 January 1979 - 17 July 1981
15	LT. Stark, Timothy Benton, USN	17 July 1981 - 27 July 1983
16	LCDR. Gibson, James Harold, USN (USNA 1975)	27 July 1983 - 23 August 1985
	Decommissioned	23 August 1985 - 30 September 1988
17	LCDR. Crooks, William Thomas, USN (USNA 1975)	30 September 1988 - February 1990
18	LT. Smith, Henry Clayton, USN (USNA 1983)	April 1992 - 7 August 1992


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
Photo Collection of Charlie Rutledge USS Paiute 1945-46

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 23 April 2021