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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Choctaw (ATF-70)
ex
 USS Choctaw (AF-70) (1943 - 1944)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Uniform - Juliet - Tango
 NUJT
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal

USS Choctaw (ATF-70) was sold to Colombia renamed ARC Pedro De Heredia (RM-72)
Navajo Class Fleet Tug:
  • Laid down, 4 April 1942, at Charleston Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Charleston, S.C.
  • Launched, 18 October 1942
  • Commissioned USS Choctaw (AT-70), 21 April 1943, LT. J. D. Garland in command
  • During World War II USS Choctaw was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater
  • Redesignated Fleet Ocean Tug, (ATF-70), 15 May 1944
  • Decommissioned, 11 March 1947, at Orange, TX.
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Texas Group, Orange
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 31 October 1977
  • Transferred, cash sale, to Colombia under the Security Assistance Program, 1 March 1978, renamed ARC Pedro De Heredia (RM-72)
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,240 t.(lt) 1,675 t.(fl)
    Length 205'
    Beam 38' 6"
    Draft 15' 4"
    Speed 16.5 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 5
    Enlisted 80
    Largest Boom Capacity 20 t.
    Armament
    one single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mount
    two single 40mm AA gun mounts
    two single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacity Diesel 2,260 Bbls
    Propulsion
    Diesel-electric drive
    four General Motors 12-278A diesel main engines driving four General Electric generators and three General Motors 3-268A auxiliary services engines
    single Fairbanks-Morse Main Reduction Gears
    Ship's Service Generators
    two 100Kw 120V D.C.
    one 60Kw 120V D.C.
    single propeller 3,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed By
    /Source
    USS Choctaw (AT-70)
    Choctaw 199k USS Choctaw (AT-70) launching, 18 October 1942, at Charleston Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Charleston, S.C.
    US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Alan Owens
    Choctaw 321k USS Choctaw (AT-70) going full astern during builders trials in the Cooper River, at Charleston S.C. in April 1943. Alan Owens
    Choctaw 13k SS Murfreesboro being towed by USS Choctaw (AT-70) off St. Georges, Bermuda, 29 March 1944. Murfreesboro was rammed by SS El Coston during a gale on 25 February 1944. Photo from Armed Guard web site. Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret
    USS Choctaw (ATF-70)
    Choctaw 144k USS Choctaw (ATF-70) underway, date and location unknown. Stan Svec
    Choctaw 40k USS Choctaw (ATF-70) at Naval Station Norfolk, VA, circa 1946. Note the aircraft carrier in the background. National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    USS Choctaw (ATF-70)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval History and Heritage Command
    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 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
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 17 June 2011