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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Patch on left contributed by David Buell, patch at right by Rich Tetrault via NAFTS

USS Tawasa (ATF-92)
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USS Tawasa (AT-92) (1943 - 1944)

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Uniform - Xray - Delta NUXD

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - China Service Medal (extended)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (3)- World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal (2)- Korean Service Medal (2)
Fourth Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Korea) - Vietnam Service Medal (7) - Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Fifth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)

Navajo Class Fleet Tug:

Laid down, 7 September 1942, at Commercial Iron Works, Portland, OR.

Launched, 22 February 1943

Commissioned USS Tawasa (AT-92), 17 July 1943, LT. Fred C. Clark in command

During World War II USS Tawasa was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

**Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns**
Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Gilbert Islands operation 26 November to 8 December 1943	Marshall Islands operation Occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls, 31 January to 18 February 1944 Occupation of Eniwetok Atoll, 18 February to 2 March 1944
Marianas operation Assault and occupation of Saipan, 11 June to 7 July 1944	.

Redesignated Fleet Ocean Tug (ATF-92), 15 May 1944

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

**Korean War Campaigns**
Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952 19 July to 10 August 1952 3 to 30 November 1952	Third Korean Winter 1 to 5 December 1952 29 December 1952 to 3 January 1953

During the Vietnam War USS Tawasa participated in the following campaigns:

**Vietnam War Campaigns**
Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV 15 April to 20 May 1968 30 May to 30 June 1968	Sanctuary Counteroffensive 23 to 26 May 1970 18 to 20 June 1970
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V 1 to 13 July 1968	Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII 30 July to 3 August 1970
Tet 69/Counteroffensive 20 April to 24 May 1969 2 to 4 June 1969	Consolidation II Consolidation II 21 February to 28 March 1972
Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969 13 to 14 June 1969 18 to 21 June 1969 25 to 28 July 1969 5 to 7 August 1969	.

Decommissioned, 31 March 1975, at Naval Station San Diego, CA.

Struck from the Naval Register, 1 April 1975

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping by the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS), 1 August 1976

USS Tawasa received three battle stars for World War II service, two battle stars for Korea War service and seven campaign stars 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 screw, 3,600shp

Size	Image Description	Source
454k	*USS Tawasa* (ATF-92)** underway, circa 1943-1945, location unknown.	David Buell for his father CWO4 Benton E. Buell USN, Ret. USS Tawasa Chief Engineer, 1962-63
39k	*USS Tawasa* (ATF-92)** at anchor, circa April 1945. Note the union jack at half staff, location unknown.	Submitted by Ken Dower to National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
35k	*USS Tawasa* (ATF-92)** underway, date and location unknown.	Scottie. D. Williams USS Tawasa
134k	*USS Tawasa* (ATF-92)** underway, date and location unknown. Photo from "the Towline" the National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors magazine, 1 September 1996.	Stan Svec
37k	*USS Tawasa* (ATF-92)** moored pierside at Naval Station Adak, AK., date unknown.	Submitted by Charles Roop to National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
59k	*USS Tawasa* (ATF-92)** underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo..	Robert Hurst
574k	*USS Tawasa* (ATF-92)** underway, circa 1950s, location unknown. US Navy photo	David Buell for his father CWO4 Benton E. Buell USN, Ret. USS Tawasa Chief Engineer, 1962-63
64k	*USS Tawasa* (ATF-92)** underway location unknown, circa 1962-63.	David Buell for his father CWO4 Benton E. Buell USN, Ret. USS Tawasa Chief Engineer, 1962-63
65k	*USS Tawasa* (ATF-92)**'s Decommissioning Ceremony Invitation for the decommissioning of the ship at Naval Station San Diego, 31 March 1975.	Submitted by Ken Dower to National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors