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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Matt Kellison via NAFTS

AT / ATF-66 USS Cherokee
WAT-165 / WMEC-165 USCGC Cherokee


USS Cherokee (ATF-66) was transferred to the US Coast Guard, Commissioned USCGC Cherokee (WAT-165)
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Defense Service Medal (with Fleet clasp)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
Navajo Class Fleet Ocean Tug:
  • Laid down (date unknown) at Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp., Staten Island, N.Y.
  • Launched, 10 November 1939
  • Commissioned USS Cherokee (AT-66), 26 April 1940. LCDR. P. L. F. Weaver in command
  • During World War II Cherokee was assigned to the European Theater and participated in the following campaign:
  • Redesignated Fleet Ocean Tug (ATF-66), 15 May 1944
  • Decommissioned, 29 June 1946 and transferred to the US Coast Guard the same day
  • Commissioned USCGC Cherokee (WAT-165), (date unknown)
  • Redesignated Medium Endurance Cutter WMEC-165 in 1965
  • Decommissioned by the Coast Guard, (date unknown)
  • Returned to Naval custody (date unknown)
  • Struck from the Naval Register in 1991
  • Final Disposition, sunk as a target
  • Cherokee received one battle star for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,235 t.(lt) 1,674 t.(fl)
    Length 205'
    Beam 38' 6"
    Draft 15' 4"
    Speed 16k.5kts.
    Complement 85
    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 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
    USS Cherokee (AF-66) (ATF-66)
    Cherokee 54k Cherokee (AT-66) underway, date and place unknown. Submitted by Harry Jaeger to National
    Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    USCGC Cherokee (WAT-165) (WMEC-165)
    Cherokee 76k Cherokee (WAT-165) underway, 12 September 1946, place unknown. US Coast Guard Historian's Office
    Cherokee 29k Cherokee (WAT-165) off US Coast Guard Base, (Berkley) Norfolk, VA., circa mid-1950s Submitted by Larry Richter to National
    Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Cherokee 43k Cherokee (WAT-165) underway, date and location unknown. Robert Hurst
    Cherokee 42k Cherokee (WAT-165) underway off the North Carolina coast, 1964.
    US Coast Guard photo    		 National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Cherokee 38k Cherokee (WMEC-165) moored pierside, date and place unknown. Submitted by Jerry Lentz to National
    Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Cherokee 39k Cherokee (WMEC-165) moored pierside, date and place unknown. Submitted by Matt Kellison to National
    Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Cherokee 34k Cherokee (WMCE-165) passing under the Berkley Bridge, Norfolk, VA., circa 1960s Submitted by Larry Richter to National
    Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Seneca 74k Cherokee (WMEC-165) moored pierside astern of Seneca (ATF-91) at NavPhib Base Little Creek, VA., in 1971. Submitted by Harvey Naeser to National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    View the Cherokee (AT-66 / ATF-66)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center web site
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S.Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    The CG History Center
    U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office - USS Cherokee
    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 Fleet Ocean Tug (ATF) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 27 January 2007