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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Tekesta (ATF-93)
ex
 USS Tekesta (AT-93) (1943 - 1944)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Uniform - Victor - Yankee
 NUVY
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive) - China Service Medal (extended)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (4) - World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal - Philippines Liberation Medal

USS Tekesta (ATF-93) was transferred to Chile, and renamed Yelcho (AGS-64)
Navajo Class Fleet Tug:
  • Laid down, 7 September 1942, at Commercial Iron Works, Portland, OR.
  • Launched, 20 March 1943
  • Commissioned USS Tekesta (AT-93), 16 August 1943, LT. John O. Strickland in command
  • Redesignated Fleet Ocean Tug (ATF-93), 16 May 1944
  • During WWII USS Tekesta was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Marshall Islands operation
    Occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls, 31 January to 8 February 1944
    Occupation of Eniwetok Atoll, 17 to 24 February 1944     		Tinian capture and occupation, 24 to 26 July 1944
    Marianas operation
    Capture and occupation of Saipan, 15 June to 26 July 1944
    Capture and occupation of Guam, 26 July to 11 August 1944     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 April to 14 June 1945

  • Following World War II USS Tekesta was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    2 September to 14 November 194516 November 945 to 9 April 1946
    24 April to 10 May 194611 to 23 May 1946
    25 May to 23 August 194614 January to 10 March 1949
    30 November 1946 to 10 January 194921 March to 4 April 1949
    14 to 18 March 1949 
    7 April to 7 June 1949 

  • Inactived at Naval Shipyard Mare Island, 4 April 1950
  • Departed Mare Island under tow for San Diego, 10 April 1950
  • Decommissioned, 14 April 1950, at San Diego, CA.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group
  • Placed in service, 24 January 1958, LT. Fred J. Fleiner, Officer in Charge
  • Placed out of service in early-1960
  • Transferred (leased) to Chile, 16 May 1960, renamed Yelcho (AGS-64)
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 25 June 1992
  • USS Tekesta earned four battle stars for World War II service
  • Placed out of commission by the Chilean Navy, 16 August 1996
  • Final Disposition, sunk as a target in 1999 by Chilean Naval Forces
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,235 t.(lt) 1,674 t.(fl)
    Length 205'
    Beam 38' 6"
    Draft 15' 4"
    Speed 16k.5kts.
    Complement
    Officers 5
    Enlisted 80
    Largest Boom Capacity 20 t.
    Armament
    one single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount
    two twin 40mm AA gun mounts two single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Ship's Service Generators
    two 100Kw 120V/240V D.C.
    one 60Kw 120V/240V D.C.
    Propulsion
    four General Motors 12-278A Diesel-electric main engines driving four General Electric generators and three General Motors 3-268A auxiliary services engines
    single Fairbanks-Morse Main Reduction Gear
    single propeller, 3,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    USS Tekesta (ATF-93)
    Tekesta
    093909315    		 172k Tekesta (AT-93) on the builders ways at Commercial Iron Works, Portland, OR., circa March 1943. Steve Becker for his father Duane O. Becker EN1 USS Tekesta
    Tekesta 49k USS Tekesta (ATF-93) at Ie Shima, circa April-June 1945. Steve Becker for his father Duane O. Becker EN1 USS Tekesta
    Tekesta 145k USS Tekesta (ATF-93) alongside the badly damaged destroyer USS Newcomb (DD-586) at Kerama Retto. Newcomb was towed to Kerama Retto by Tekesta after being hit five times by Japanese Kamikaze suicide aircraft while screening minesweepers off Ie Shima, 6 April 1945. Steve Becker for his father Duane O. Becker EN1 USS Tekesta
    Tekesta 116k USS Tekesta (ATF-93) alongside USS Newcomb (DD-586) at Kerama Retto, 6 April 1945. Steve Becker for his father Duane O. Becker EN1 USS Tekesta
    Tekesta 285k USS Tekesta (ATF-93) moored pierside, (probably) at Shanghai, China, circa late-1945. Ships in the background include USS Indian River (AG-77) which entered the port of Shanghai only once in late1945 while part of operation "Magic Carpet". Steve Becker for his father Duane O. Becker EN1 USS Tekesta
    Tekesta 77k USS Tekesta (ATF-93) at anchor, probably somewhere in China, circa late-1945-1946. Note the rice paddies on the hill in the background. Steve Becker for his father Duane O. Becker EN1 USS Tekesta
    Tekesta 54k USS Tekesta (ATF-93) at anchor, probably somewhere in China, circa late-1945-1946. Steve Becker for his father Duane O. Becker EN1 USS Tekesta
    Tekesta 46k USS Tekesta (ATF-93) at anchor, probably somewhere in China, circa late-1945-1946. Steve Becker for his father Duane O. Becker EN1 USS Tekesta
    Tekesta 68k View of USS Tekesta (ATF-93)'s "Jap"kill record painted on the port side bridge wing, circa late 1945-1946. Steve Becker for his father Duane O. Becker EN1 USS Tekesta
    Tekesta 93k USS Tekesta (ATF-93) passing under the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA. in 1958.
    Photo ©Allied Photographers, San Francisco.    		 Robert M. Cieri
    Yelcho (AGS-64)
    Tekesta 73k Ex-Tekesta (ATF-93) in the Republic of Chile service as the Antarctic research and survey ship Yelcho (AGS-64) at anchor, circa 1963, location unknown. Robert Hurst
    Tekesta 109k Yelcho (AGS-64) at anchor in 1969, location unknown.
    Official Chilean Navy photo.    		 Robert Hurst
    Tekesta 34k Yelcho (AGS-64) at anchor, date and location unknown. Patricio Villalobos, Captain (R), Chilean Navy
    Tekesta 126k Yelcho (AGS-64) at anchor, date and location unknown. Patricio Villalobos, Captain (R), Chilean Navy.
    Tekesta 44k Yelcho (AGS-64) sinking following use as target in 1999. Alan Owen
    Tekesta
    093909316    		 58k Republic of Chile postage atamps featuring Yelcho (AGS-64) and the Chilean Antarctic Territory Tommy Trampp
    Tekesta
    093909317    		 25k
    USS Tekesta (AT-93 / ATF-93)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Strickland, John Ogle, USN16 August 1943 - 25 September 1944
    02LTjg. Petrich, Paul Diamond, USNR25 September 1944 - 1 December 1944
    03LT. Hutts, James Donavan, USN1 December 1944 - 1 August 1945
    04LT. Wichmann, Charles John, USN1 August 1945 - 30 June 1946
    05LT. Weimer, Raymond Merritt, USN1948
    06LCDR. Hafner, David Thomas, USNno dates
    08LT. Fleiner, Fred J.24 January 1958 - 1959
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    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 Ocean 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
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    Last Updated 16 July 2021