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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

AT-81 / ATF-81 Bannock


USS Bannock (ATF-81) was transferred to Italy
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1 star) - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1 star)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal
Navajo Class Fleet Tug:
  • Laid down (date unknown) at Charleston Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Charleston, S.C.
  • Launched, 7 January 1943
  • Commissioned USS Bannock (AT-81), 28 June 1943, Lt. Sam P. Morgan in command
  • Reclassified as a Fleet Ocean Tug (ATF-81), 15 May 1944
  • During WWII Bannock was first assigned to European Theater and later to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:
    European Campaigns Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Invasion of Normandy
    6 June to 21 July 1944     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 7 May to ?

  • Decommissioned, 12 February 1947, at Orange, TX.
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Texas Group, Orange
  • Recommissioned, 11 September 1951
  • Decommissioned, 25 November 1955
  • Laid up in the Reserve Fleet
  • Struck from the Naval Register (date unknown)
  • Transferred (sold) to Italy, 1 May 1979, under the Security Assistance Program
  • Final Disposition, discarded by Italy, fate unknown
  • Bannock received two battle stars for her service during World War II
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,646 t.(fl)
    Length 205'
    Beam 38' 6"
    Draft 15' 3"
    Speed 16 kts.
    Complement 8 Officers, 68 Enlisted
    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 Source
    USS Bannock (ATF-81)
    Bannock 28k Bannock (ATF-81) underway, 26 August 1944, place unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 .
    Bannock 52k Bannock (ATF-81) at the scene of the sinking of Meredith (DD-726), off Utah Beach, 9 June 1944. Meredith struck a mine off Utah Beach, 8 June 1944 and was sunk the following day by German aircraft. Note, just across the midship area of the 83' patrol boat is the stern, and over the bow, is the overturned bow of Meredith.
    US Navy photo    		 Michael Feagin in honor of his father Byron Feagin USS Bannock
    C.P. 452 Bannock
    Bannock 65k ex Bannock (ATF-81) in Italian Coast Guard service as the oceanographic research ship C.P. 451 Bannock in 1999 Submitted by Elizabeth Piet and Alex Sinke
    to NAFTS
    (National Association
    of Fleet Tug Sailors)
    Bannock 69k ex Bannock (ATF-81), ex Italian Coast Guard oceanographic research ship C.P. 451 Bannock laid up at Naples, Italy. "Message from Guardia Costiera: "regarding Your mail of 07/03/2005 we inform You that the ship is in "disarmament" and that she is in the Naples Port. We send the photo of the ship."" Michael Feagin in honor of his father Byron Feagin USS Bannock
    View the Bannock (ATF-81)
    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
    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 9 June 2006