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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS ATA-180


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Quebec - Bravo
 NJQB
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
ATA-121 Class Auxiliary Fleet Tug
  • Planned and authorized as Rescue Ocean Tug (ATR-107)
  • Reclassified Auxiliary Fleet Tug (ATA-180),15 May 1944
  • Laid down, 5 June 1944, at Levingston Shipbuilding Co., Orange, TX.
  • Launched, 14 July 1944
  • Commissioned, USS ATA-180, 30 September 1944, LTjg. Robert S. Esdaile, USNR in command
  • During World War II USS ATA-180 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
  • USS ATA-180 was assigned to Joint Task Force 1, Task Unit 1.2.7 Target Vessel Group - Salvage Units for Operation Crossroads the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in July 1946
  • Decommissioned, 4 March 1947
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet
  • Struck from the Naval Register in 1948 and sold to Scripps Institute of Oceanography, La Jolla, CA., named R/V Horizon
  • Final Disposition, scrapped, date unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement 835 t.(lt) 1,360 t.(fl)
    Length 143'
    Beam 33' 10"
    Draft 13' 2" (limiting)
    Speed 12 kts.
    Armament
    one single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount
    two single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Largest Boom Capacity 5 t.
    Complement
    Officers 5
    Enlisted 40
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 1,200 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two GM 12-278A Diesel-electric engines
    single Fairbanks Morse Main Reduction Gear
    two 60Kw 120V. D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    single propeller, 1,200shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS ATA-180
    ATA-180 146k Aft plan view of USS ATA-180 at Navy Yard Mare Island, 13 March 1946.
    US Navy photo dated 3/15/46.
    Mare Island Navy Yard photo #1053-46.    		 Darryl L. Baker
    ATA-180 146k Forward plan view of USS ATA-180 at Navy Yard Mare Island, 13 March 1946.
    US Navy photo dated 3/15/46.
    Mare Island Navy Yard photo #1054-46.    		 Darryl L. Baker
    ATA-180 64k USS ATA-180 departing Mare Island after overhaul period, 15 March 1946. Shipyard records indicate overhaul started 19 January 1946 and completed 15 March 1946. She is in the Carquinez straits at the south end of the shipyard. Carquinez Bridge can be seen in the background.
    US Navy photo dated 3/15/46.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo #1096-46.    		 Darryl L. Baker
    ATA-180 105k USS ATA-180 departing Mare Island after overhaul period, 15 March 1946. She is in the Carquinez straits at the south end of the shipyard. Carquinez Bridge can be seen in the background.
    US National Archives, RG-19-LCM, photo # 19-N-116735    		 Mike Green
    ATA-180 57k USS ATA-180 departing Mare Island after overhaul period, 15 March 1946. Shipyard records indicate overhaul started 19 January 1946 and completed 15 March 1946.
    Navy Yard Mare Island # 1095-46.    		 Darryl L. Baker
    R/V Horizon
    ATA-180 35k Ex ATA-180 underway as the Research Vessel R/V Horizon, 1949 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    ATA-180 99k R/V Horizon (left) moored at Scripps Institute of Oceanography, La Jolla, CA. in 1949 along with R/V Paolina-T (center) and R/V Crest ex USS YMS-292 (right) Scripps web site
    ATA-180 50k R/V Horizon moored at Scripps Institute of Oceanography, La Jolla, CA., in 1949 Scripps web site
    ATA-180
    093818009    		 194k R/V Horizon moored at Long Beach, CA., in 1972. David Wright
    There is no DANFS history available for USS ATA-180 at NavSource
    Commanding Officers
    01LTjg. Esdaile, Robert S., USNR30 September 1944 - February 1946
    02LT. Weaver, Ephraim Ray, USNFebruary 1946 - 4 March 1947
    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
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Ship Photo Index Back To The Rescue Ocean Tug (ATR) Photo Index Back To the Auxiliary Fleet Tug (ATA) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 11 March 2022