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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Eli Blanco

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Wandank (ATA-204)
ex
 USS ATA-204 (1945 - 1952)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - India - Lima - Hotel
 NILH
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Menu (L)ima
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
Bottom Row - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Vietnam Service Medal (2) - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Sotoyomo Class Auxiliary Fleet Tug:
  • Planned and authorized as Rescue Ocean Tug (ATR-131)
  • Reclassified Auxiliary Fleet Tug (ATA-204),15 May 1944
  • Laid down, 25 September 1944, at Gulfport Shipbuilding, Corp., Port Arthur, TX.
  • Launched, 9 November 1944
  • Commissioned, USS ATA-204, 18 January 1945, LTjg. Vernon L. Ryan, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS ATA-204 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
  • Decommissioned, 28 November 1947, at Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, WA.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Columbia River Group, Astoria, OR.
  • Reactivated, 17 April 1952, at Astoria, OR.
  • Recommissioned, USS Wandank (ATA-204), 3 May 1952, at Pearl Harbor, LT. William A. Walden in command
  • Homeport changed to Naval Station Guam in 1966
  • During the Vietnam War USS Wandank (ATA-204) participated in the following campaigns:

    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III
    14 to 17 January 1968     		Tet69/Counteroffensive
    23 to 25 April 1969
    1 to 6 May 1969

  • Decommissioned, 1 July 1971, at Guam
  • Simultaneously turned over to the Department of the Interior for service in the Trust Territories
  • Returned to US Naval custody, 22 May 1973
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 August 1973
  • USS Wandank earned two campaign stars for Vietnam War service
  • Subsequently returned to the Interior Department for service in the Trust Territories
    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
    Ship's Service Generators
    two 60Kw 120V. D.C.
    single propeller, 1,200shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS ATA-204
    Wandank 283k Starboard quarter view of ATA-204 underway during builders trials near Port Arthur, TX. in January 1945.
    Photo from the files of Gulfport Shipyard, Port Arthur TX (formerly known s Gulfport Boiler and Iron Works)     		James Swank
    Wandank 302k Starboard bow view of ATA-204 underway during builders trials near Port Arthur, TX. in January 1945.
    Photo from the files of Gulfport Shipyard, Port Arthur TX (formerly known s Gulfport Boiler and Iron Works)     		James Swank
    Wandank 16k Port bow view of ATA-204 underway during builders trials near Port Arthur, TX. in January 1945.
    A US Navy Bureau of Ships photo courtesy the National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors, contributed by Bill Mozingo.    		 Robert Hurst
    USS Wandank (ATA-204)
    Wandank 147k Jacques Piccard, co-designer of the bathyscaphe, and his assistants make final checks aboard her, prior to Trieste's first deep dive in the Marianas Trench. On 15 November 1959, off Guam, she dove to 18,600 feet, breaking the previous record of 13,000 feet. USS Wandank (ATA-204) is in the distance, apparently towing the bathyscaphe. Navigation buoy on right indicates that the photo may have been taken as Trieste left port to make the dive. Photo was released from publication on 28 November 1959.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo #: NH 96802.    		 Robert Hurst8
    Wandank 117k USS Wandank (ATA-204) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Eli Blanco RM3, USS Wandank 1967-1968
    Wandank 27k USS Wandank (ATA-204) underway the Pacific Ocean, circa 1966-67.
    A US Navy photo.    		 Robert Hurst
    Wandank 95k USS Wandank (ATA-204) underway, date and location unknown.
    Photo courtesy the National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors, contributed by Craig Rothhammer.    		 Robert Hurst
    Wandank 450k USS Wandank (ATA-204) moored pierside forward of USS San Joaquin County (LST-1122) at Naval Supply Depot Guam, circa 1967-68. Photo by Eli Blanco RM3, USS Wandank 1967-1968
    Wandank 60k USS Wandank (ATA-204) conducting gunnery practice off Saipan, circa 1967-1968. Photo by Eli Blanco RM3, USS Wandank 1967-1968
    Wandank 105k
    Wandank 180k USS Wandank (ATA-204) moored outboard of USS Mahopac (ATA-196) at Naval Base Yokosuka Japan in 1968 while training for a special ops mission. Photo by Eli Blanco RM3, USS Wandank 1967-1968
    USS Wandank (ATA-204)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LTjg. Ryan, Vernon L., USNR18 January 1945 - November
    02LTjg. Cronk, Daniel W., USNRNovember 1945 - 1946
    03LTjg. Gooden, Harold Harman, USN1946 - 1947
    04LTjg. Robinson, Robert, USNR1947 - 28 November 1947
     Decommissioned28 November 1947 - 3 May 1952
    05LT. Walden, William Albert, USN3 May 1952 - ?
    06LTjg. Church, John Henry, USN1954 - ?
    07LT. Thomas, David Hanley USN1957 - 8 July 1959
    08LT. Cooley, Arthur William, USN8 July 1959 - 26 June 1961
    09LT. Garvin, John Kenneth, USN26 June 1961 - 1963
    10LT. I'Anson Jr., Lawrence Warren, USN1963 - 9 July 1965
    12LT. Flikeld, Jack Robert, USN (USNA 1959)9 July 1965 - 17 March 1967
    13LT. Dolph, William Annis, USN17 March 1967 - 3 September 1969
    14LT. O'Brien, John Laurence, USN3 September 1969 - 1 July 1971
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    USS Wandank (ATA-204) Change of Command program 17 March 1967
    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
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 26 March 2021