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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS ATA-125
ex
 USS ATR-47 (1943 - 1944)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Zulu - Hotel - Juliet
NZHJ
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East (2) - World War II Victory Medal
Sotoyomo Class Auxiliary Fleet Tug:
  • Planned and approved as Fleet Tug AT-125
  • Reclassified Rescue Tug ATR-47
  • Laid down, 27 November 1942, at Levingston Shipbuilding Co., Orange, TX.
  • Launched, 3 January 1943
  • Commissioned, USS ATR-47, 12 August 1943, LT. Harry L. Lane, USNR in command
  • Reclassified Auxiliary Fleet Tug ATA-125, 15 May 1944
  • During World War II USS ATA-125 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the following campaigns;

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944 Invasion of southern France, 15 August to 25 September 1944
  • Decommissioned, date unknown
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • USS ATA-125 earned two battle stars for World War II service
  • Commercial Service
    Sold, 24 December 1945, unknown owner
    Acquired in 1947 by Moran Towing, named Joseph Moran II
    Resold in 1949 to South American Towing Corp (Moran), Monrovia and renamed Dragon, re-flagged Liberian
    Sold back to Moran Towing in 1953, renamed Joseph H. Moran II, re-flagged USA
    Resold in 1960 to Bureau Wijsmuller, Ijmuiden, Netherlands, renamed Utrecht, re-flagged Netherlands
    Resold to the French Navy in 1964, renamed RFS Hippopotame (A-660)
  • Final Disposition, sunk as a target in 1985
    Specifications:
    Displacement 835 t.(fl)
    Length 143'
    Beam 33' 10" (extreme)
    Draft 13' 2" (limiting)
    Speed 13 kts. (trial)
    Complement
    5 Officers
    40 Enlisted
    Largest Boom Capacity 4 t.
    Armament one 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount
    Propulsion
    one General Motors Diesel-electric model 12-278A
    single Fairbanks Morse Main Reduction Gear
    Ship's service generators
    one Diesel-drive 60 Kw, 120V D.C.
    one Diesel-drive 30Kw, 120V D. C.
    single propeller
    Fuel Capacity, 1300 Bbls Diesel oil
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS ATR-47
    ATR-47 41k USS ATR-47 on builder's trials off Orange, Texas, circa July-August 1943.
    US Navy Bureau of Ships photo, courtesy the National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors, contributed by Russell Hobbs.    		 Robert Hurst
    ATR-47 122k USS ATR-47 under way, 27 October 1943, location unknown.
    US National Archives, RG-19-LCM. Photo # 80-G-87189, courtesy Shipscribe.com.         		Robert Hurst
    USS ATA-125
    ATR-47
    Norfolk Navy Yard 9861-45    		 187k USS ATA-125 during an inclining experiment at the Norfolk Navy Yard, 23 February 1945. In photo 9861-45 s ome weights for the inclining experiment can be seen on the deck aft. To the left is the floating derrick YD-71 working on an unidentified old destroyer, in the distance is USS Pegasus (AK-48), and ahead of the tug is an unidentified LSM. Photo 9860-45 is a broadside view of USS ATA-125 taken the same day during the inclining experiment.
    US National Archives, RG-19 textual files, Item S-22, Norfolk Navy Yard photo #'s 9861-45 and 9860-45, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Mike Green
    ATR-47
    Norfolk Navy Yard 9860-45    		 145k
    Commercial Service
    Moran Towing & Transportation Bureau Wijsmuller
    ATR-47 50k Ex-ATA-125 in commercial service as the Moran Towing, tug Joseph H.Moran II, date and location unknown.
    Moran Towing photo.    		 Courtesy TugBoat Information.com, contributed by J. Haver
    ATR-47 53k Ex-ATA-125 in commercial service as Bureau Wijsmuller's tug Utrecht underway, in New York Harbor in 1960 Hans van der Ster
    Foreign Naval Service
    ATR-47 36k Ex-ATA-125 in French naval service as RFS Hippopotame (A560) moored pierside, date and location unknown.
    French navy photo.    		 Courtesy TugBoat Information.com, contributed by J. Haver
    There is no DANFS history available for USS ATR-47 / USS ATA-125 at NavSource
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Lane, Harry Leon, USNR12 August 1943 - 4 October 1944ATR-47 / ATA-125
    02LTjg. Griffith, John Christopher, USNR4 October 1944 - 27 August 1945ATA-125
    03LT. Brengle Jr., Laurence J., USNR27 August 1945 - March 1946ATA-125
    04LTjg. Carey Jr., Bernard P., USNRMarch 1946 - ?ATA-125
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler
    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
    TugBoat Information.com - ATA-125
    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 Rescue Tug (ATR) Photo Index Back To The Auxiliary Fleet Tug (ATA) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 15 May 2020