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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Patch at left contributed by Don McGrogan BMCS, USN (Ret.) Patch at right contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Apache (ATF-67)
ex
USS Apache (AT-67) (1942 - 1944)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Uniform - Delta - Bravo NUDB

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive) - Navy Unit Commendation (2)
Second Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (5)
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Korean Service Medal (2)
Fourth Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Taiwan) - Vietnam Service Medal (1) - Philippines Liberation Medal (2)
Fifth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)
Personnel Awards

Purple Heart (3-WIA 5 January 1945 - Luzon)

USS Apache (ATF-67) was transferred to the Republic of China and renamed ROCS Ta Wan (ATF-551)

Navajo Class Fleet Ocean Tug:

Laid down, 8 November 1941, as Fleet Tug (AT-67) at Charleston Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Charleston, S.C.

Launched, 8 May 1942

Commissioned, USS Apache (AT-67), 12 December 1942, LTjg. Clyde S. Horner in command

Reclassified Fleet Ocean Tug (ATF-67), 15 May 1944

During WWII USS Apache was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

**Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns**
Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Treasury-Bougainville operation Treasury Island landing, 27 October 1943 Occupation and defense of Cape Torokina, 1, 6, and 8 November 1943	Marianas operation Capture and occupation of Saipan, 17 to 19 July 1944 Capture and occupation of Guam, 21 July to 2 August 1944
Consolidation of Solomon Islands Consolidation of northern Solomon Islands, December 1943 to March 1944	Leyte operation Leyte landings, 13 October to 29 November 1944
Bismarck Archipelago operation Emirau Island, 17 March 1944	Luzon operation Lingayen Gulf landings, 4 to 18 January 1945

Decommissioned, 3 December 1946

Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Columbia River Group

Recommissioned, 20 July 1951

During the Korean War USS Apache participated in the following campaigns:

**Korean War Campaigns**
Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Second Korean Winter 19 December 1951 to 4 January 1952 19 January to 18 February 1952 20 March to 13 April 1952 26 to28 April 1952	Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952 9 to 12 May 1952 16 to 28 June 1952

During the Vietnam War USS Apache participated in the following campaign:

**Vietnam War Campaign**
Campaign and Dates
Vietnamese Counteroffensive 4 January to 6 February 1966 3 to 5 March 1966

Decommissioned, 27 February 1974

Struck from the Naval Register, 30 March 1974

Sold under the Security Assistance Program to the Republic of China, 1 June 1974, renamed Ta Wan

Final Disposition, fate unknown

USS Apache earned five battle stars and the Navy Unit Commendation for service in Salvage, Fire Fighting, and Rescue Unit, Service Force, 7th Fleet - Philippine Islands area, 6 January to 15 February 1945, two battle stars for Korean service and one campaign star, the Navy Unit Commendation, and the Meritorious Unit Commendation for Vietnam War 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 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 propeller, 3,600shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
USS Apache (ATF-67)
	1208k	*USS Arapaho* (AT-68) (left) and USS Apache (AT-67)** (right) fitting out at Charleston Shipbuilding & Drydock Co, Charleston S.C., July 1942. US National Archives photo # 19-N-55163 a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.	Alan Owens
	81k	*USS Apache* (ATF-67)** underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo.	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
	31k	*USS Apache* (ATF-67)** underway in 1955, location unknown.	Submitted by Joe Hubbard to NAFTS National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
	42k	*USS Apache* (ATF-67)** underway off the coast of southern California, 31 August 1964. US Navy photo by PH2 Lindberg.	US Naval Historical Center
	107k	*USS Apache* (ATF-67)** and White Sands (ARD-20) moored at either Naval Station Rodman or Balboa, Panama Canal Zone, circa 28 February 1969. *Apache* and *White Sands, with the deep submergence vehicle Trieste* on board, where enroute to an area near the Azores to search for the nuclear submarine *USS Scorpion* (SSN-589) which was lost in May 1968. Apache towed White Sands which was the support ship for the deep submergence vehicle Trieste which search for the missing Scorpion**	Gary Ragsdale, EN3/2class Diver USS Apache
	44k	*USS Apache* (ATF-67)** underway, circa 1970-1971	Submitted by Bob Hallmark to NAFTS National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
	56k	*USS Apache* (ATF-67)** underway off San Diego, CA., in 1973.	Gary P. Ragsdale EN3/Second Class Diver USS Apache 1972-73
ROCS Ta Wan (ATF-551)
	76k	*Ex-Apache* (ATF-67) in the Republic of China service as ROCS Ta Wan (ATF-551)** moored pierside, at Keelung Harbor, Taiwan, 16 March 2006.	Photo by Perry Huang
	82k	*ROCS Ta Wan* (ATF-551)** moored pierside, at Keelung Harbor, Taiwan, 16 March 2006.	Photo by Perry Huang
	129k	*ROCS Ta Wan* (ATF-551)** getting underway at Keelung Harbor, Taiwan, 16 March 2006.	Photo by Perry Huang
	72k	*ROCS Ta Wan* (ATF-551)** underway departing Keelung Harbor, Taiwan, 16 March 2006.	Photo by Perry Huang