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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

 Contributed by Rich Tetrault via NAFTS Contributed by Randy Skate via NAFTS

AT-85 / ATF-85 Lipan
WMEC-85 Lipan


USNS Lipan (T-ATF-85) was transferred to the US Coast Guard and commissioned USCGC Lipan (WMEC-85)
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons





Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (2) - American Campaign Medal
Second Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Third Row - Korean Service Medal (4) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (2-Vietnam) - Vietnam Service Medal (3)
Fourth Row - Humanitarian Service Medal (1-Frequent Wind) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (2) - Philippines Liberation Medal
Fifth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korean War Service Medal
Navajo Class Fleet Tug:
  • Laid down, 30 May 1942, at United Engineering Co., San Francisco, CA.
  • Launched, 17 September 1942
  • Commissioned USS Lipan (AT-85), 29 April 1943
  • Redesignated Fleet Ocean Tug (ATF-85), 15 May 1944
  • Decommissioned (date unknown)
  • Assigned to the Military Sealift Command (MSC) in 1972 and placed in service as USNS Lipan (T-ATF-85)
  • Placed out of service, circa 1980 and transferred on loan to the Coast Guard
  • Commissioned, USCGC Lipan (WMEC-85), 30 September 1980
  • Decommissioned, 31 March 1988 and returned to US Naval custody
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 23 January 1989
  • Final Disposition, sunk as a target, 22 January 1990
    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 gun mounts, two single 20mm guns
    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 Lipan (ATF-85)
    LSM-83 51k Lipan (ATF-85) moored outboard of the decommissioned Barry (APD-29) at Kerama Rhetto, circa late-May early-June 1945. Off Barry's port side is LST-53 and LSM-83. Barry was used as a decoy ship to lure suicide planes into burned out ships. Lipan's job was to tow her. Ken Roberts to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    Lipan 69k Lipan (ATF-85) pulling into Dog Easy (DE) Docks, NavSta Pearl Harbor, HI, September 1952 Submitted by Nils Pearson to National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Lipan 27k Lipan (ATF-85) underway, date and place unknown. Submitted by Wil Swift to National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Lipan 51k Lipan (ATF-85) moored pierside, circa 1951, place unknown. Submitted by Don Welch to National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Lipan 43k Lipan (ATF-85) off Vietnam coast, circa spring 1965. Submitted by Gordon Nasse to National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Lipan 47k Lipan (ATF-85) moored pierside, circa 1967, place unknown. Submitted by Joe Hilpert to National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Lipan 60k Lipan (ATF-85) underway, circa 1969, place unknown. Submitted by Doug Hadland to National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    USNS Lipan (T-ATF-85)
    Lipan 38k Lipan (T-AFT-85) underway, circa mid 1970s, place unknown. Submitted by Joe Siesel to National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Lipan 22k Lipan (T-AFT-85) underway, circa mid 1970s, place unknown. Submitted by Joe Siesel to National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    USCGC Lipan (WMEC-85)
    Lipan 20k USCGC Lipan (WMEC-85) off Key West, FL, circa 1980s Submitted by Larry Richter to National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Lipan 39k USCGC Lipan (WMEC-85) underway, date and place unknown. Submitted by Rich Tetrault to National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Lipan 32k USCGC Lipan (WMEC-85) moored pierside, date and place unknown. Ken Laesser
    There is no DANFS History currently available for Lipan (ATF-85) at the Haze Gray & Underway Web Site, the main archive for the DANFS Online Project.
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S.Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    USS Lipan ATF-85
    The CG History Center
    U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office
    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 29 September 2006