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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Left patch contributed by Mike Smolinski, right patch by Tommy Trampp

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Papago (ATF-160)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Zulu - Papa - Uniform
 NZPU
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 (3-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, 19 March 1945, at Charleston Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Charleston, S.C.
  • Launched, 21 June 1945
  • Commissioned USS Papago (ATF-160), 3 October 1945. LT. William S. Hall in command
  • Decommissioned, 28 July 1992
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 14 February 1995
  • Transferred to the Maritime Administration, 29 December 1997
  • Laid up at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, (as of June 2010)
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,205 t.(lt) 1,646 t.(fl)
    Length 205'
    Beam 39'
    Draft 17' (max)
    Speed 16 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 8
    Enlisted 68
    Armament
    one single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mount
    two twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    two single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Propulsion
    four General Motors 12-278A diesel main engines driving four General Electric generators and three General Motors 3-268A auxiliary services engines
    single screw, 3,600shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Papago
    093916008    		 230k
    Namesake
    Papago - The Tohono O'odham are a Native American people of the Sonoran Desert, residing primarily in Arizona and the Mexican state of Sonora. Tohono O'odham means "Desert People". The Tohono O'odham tribal government and most of the people have rejected the historical name Papago, that was used by Europeans after being adopted by Spanish conquistadores from hearing other Piman bands call them this. (Wikipedia)
    Photos
    Jose Lewis, Native American Papago - NARA Identifier 523813
    Papago basketmaker at work, Arizona. Photographed by H. T. Cory, 1916.    		 Tommy Trampp
    Papago 91k USS Papago (ATF-160) under way, circa 1967, possibly Valletta Harbor, Malta. David Wright
    Papago 148k USS Papago (ATF-160) underway, circa 1954, location unknown.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-646417, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Daniel Treadwell
    Papago 149k USS Papago (ATF-160) under way, date and location unknown
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 83868, courtesy of D.M. McPherson, 1975    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Papago 303k USS Papago (ATF-160) underway at sea in April 1955, location unknown. Alan Owens
    Papago 98k USS Papago (ATF-160) underway, circa 1969 Submitted by Rich Paxton to National
    Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Papago 66k USS Papago (ATF-160) in Chesapeake Bay, during a salvage training exercise, date unknown. Tudor ApMadoc web site
    Papago 83k USS Papago (ATF-160) moored pierside, date and location unknown. Rick Watson, Storekeeper USS Papago 1982-83
    Papago
    093916010    		 373k USS Papago (ATF-160) moored pierside at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, VA. in 1989. Other ships present include USS Paiute (ATF-159) and USS Edenton (ATS-1). Nicholas Tiberio
    Paiute 97k USS Paiute (ATF-159), USS 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
    Papago
    093916009    		 201k USS Papago (ATF-160) Master-At-Arms badge. Tommy Trampp
    USS Papago (ATF-160)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Hall, William Samuel, USN3 October 1945 1945 - 8 December 1947
    02LT. Bailey, Robert Earwood, USN (USNA 1944)8 December 1947 - 1 January 1949
    03LT. Ralmy, H. R. 1 January 1949 - December 1949
    04LT. Sanderson, Edward, USN December 1949 - November 1951
    05LCDR. Kelsey, Charles Edgar, USN November 1951 - October 1954
    06LT. Wise Jr., Maurice Hughes, USN October 1954 - March 1957
    07LT. Pettee, Warren Eugene, USNMarch 1957 - 11 July 1958
    08LT. Burson, Roger Tex 11 July 1958 - 1 February 1960
    09LCDR. Perry Jr., Roger Edison, USN 1 February 1960 - 1 November 1962
    10LT. Evans, Irvin Ray, USN 1 November 1962 - March 1964
    11LCDR. Roberson, Harold Jennings, USN March 1964 - April 1966
    12LT. Anglin, Robert Earl, USN April 1966 - September 1967
    13LT. McNiff, Eugene Edward, USN September 1967 - 11 July 1969
    14LT. Wilkinson III, John Palenm USN11 July 1969 - August 1971
    15LCDR. Malone, Robert Neely, USNAugust 1971 - July 1973
    16LT. Moore, Richard Warren, USN (USNA 1967)July 1973 - September 1974
    17LT. Clifford, William Francis, USN (USNA 1969)September 1974 - July 1976
    18LT. Prevette Jr., Henry Slater (Hank), USN (USNA 1970)July 1976 - 28 July 1978
    19LT. Kutcher, Robert James, USN28 July 1978 - 12 September 1980
    20LT. Thorne III, Silas Owens, USN12 September 1980 - 16 April 1982
    21LCDR. Solak, Lawrence Edward, USN16 April 1982 - 1983
    22LCDR. Almy III, Gideon Wilcox, USN1983 - 12 January 1984
    23LT. Freeman, Michael, USN12 January 1984 - 28 June 1985
    25LT. Barcus, Richard Scott30 September 1988 - 1990
    26LCDR. Colquist, Richard S.1990 - April 1991
    27LT. Webb, Billy EdwardApril 1991 - 28 July 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
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Ship 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 24 February 2023