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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USCGC Tamaroa (WMEC-166)
ex
 USCGC Tamaroa (WATF-166) (1956 - 1966)
 USCGC Tamaroa (WAT-166) (1946 - 1956)
 USS Zuni (ATF-95) (1944 - 1946)
 USS Zuni (AT-95) (1943 - 1944)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - November - Golf - Romeo
 NNGR
USS Zuni (ATF-95) Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (4) - World War II Victory Medal

USCGC Tamaroa (WAT-166 / WATF-166 / WMEC-166) Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Coast Guard Unit Commendation
Second Row - Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation - Navy "E" Ribbon (3) - Coast Guard Bicentennial Unit Medal
Third Row - National Defense Service Medal (3) - Humanitarian Service Medal (3) - Coast Guard Special Operations Service Ribbon
Navajo Class Fleet Tug:
  • Laid down, 8 May 1943, at Commercial Iron Works, Portland, OR.
  • Launched, 31 July 1943
  • Commissioned USS Zuni (AT-95), 9 October 1943, LT. Ray E. Chance, USN, in command
  • Redesignated Fleet Ocean Tug (ATF-95), 15 May 1944
  • During World War II Zuni was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Marianas operation
    Capture and occupation of Saipan, 24 to 26 July 1944
    Capture and occupation of Guam, 10 August 1944     		Luzon operation
    Luzon attacks, 6 to 7 January 1945
    Formosa attacks, 9, 15, 21 January 1945
    China coast attacks, 12 and 16 January 1945
    Nansei Shoto attack, 22 January 1945
    Western Caroline Islands operation
    Capture and occupation of southern Palau Islands, Peleliu, 8 September to 14 October 1944     		Iwo Jima operation
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 19 February to 2 March 1945

  • Decommissioned and transferred to the Coast Guard, 29 June 1946
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 19 July 1946
  • USS Zuni earned four battle stars for World War II service
  • Commissioned USCGC Tamaroa (WAT-166) in 1946
  • Redesignated WATF-166 in 1956
  • Redesignated Medium Endurance Cutter (WMEC-166) in 1966
  • Decommissioned by Coast Guard, 1 February 1994
  • Owned by the Zuni Maritime Foundation, docked at Portsmouth, VA., being restored.
  • In May 2012 the tug suffered a major engine room leak and bulkhead collapse, restoration had reached about 85% at the time
  • Zuni Foundation turned title over to the American Marine Group at Norfolk to negotiate the sinking of the tug as a reef/diving site
  • Final Disposition, reefed of the New Jersey - Delaware coast 10 May 2017
    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 Zuni (ATF-95)
    Reno
    0409605    		 130k USS Reno (CL-96) under salvage after she was torpedoed by the Japanese submarine HIJNS I-41, 3 November 1944, while operating off the Philippines. Photographed on 5 November, with USS Zuni (ATF 95) alongside. Note oil streaming off to port.
    U.S. National Archives photo # 80-G-287568, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the the U.S. National Archives.    		 U.S. National Archives
    Reno
    0409606    		 123k USS Reno (CL-96) under salvage after being torpedoed off the Philippines, 3 November 1944 by Japanese submarine HIJNS I-41. The photograph was taken on 5 November, while USS Zuni (ATF-95) was alongside Reno's port side.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo #NH 63431.    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Reno
    0409602    		 113k USS Reno (CL-96) under salvage after she was torpedoed by Japanese submarine HIJNS I-41, 3 November 1944, while operating off the Philippines. Photographed on 5 November, while USS Zuni (ATF-95) was alongside.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 98473    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Reno
    0409603    		 113k USS Zuni (ATF-95 alongside the crippled USS Reno (CL-96), 5 November 1944, providing salvage services after Reno was torpedoed by the Japanese submarine HIJNS I-41, 3 November 1944, while operating off the Philippines.
    Reno is listing 16° to starboard in the second photo.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photos # NH 39095 and US Navy photo # unknown    		 Robert Hurst
    Zuni
    0409617    		 145k
    Zuni 29k USS Zuni (ATF-95) stranded on Yellow Beach, Iwo Jima, 23 March 1945 while attempting to assist USS LST-944 in beaching.
    US Navy photo.    		 The Tamaroa Maritime Foundation
    USCGC Tamaroa (WAT / WATF / WMEC-166)
    Zuni 91k Ex-Zuni (ATF-95) prior to being commissioned USCGC Tamaroa (WAT-166), moored pierside, Baltimore, Md., 12 November 1946.
    Photo by The Hughes, Co., Baltimore, MD, from the collections of the US Coast Guard Historian's Office    		 Mike Green
    Zuni 65k USCGC Tamaroa (WAT-166), while on her trial run, 20 March 1947.
    USCG Photo #: CG032047-2 from the collections of the US Coast Guard Historian's Office    		 Mike Green
    Zuni 39k USCGC Tamaroa (WAT-166), underway, date and place unknown. Ken Laesser
    Zuni 78k USCGC Tamaroa (WATF-166), at anchor off New York, 10 February 1959.
    USCG Photo #: 3CGD 02105933, from the collections of the US Coast Guard Historian's Office    		 Mike Green
    Zuni 57k USCGC Tamaroa (WATF-166) at anchor circa 1959, location unknown. Robert Hurst
    Zuni 90k USCGC Tamaroa (WATF-166), sunk in New York harbor, 14 March 1963. During the night hours Tamaroa slipped below the waters of New York Harbor when a drunk and disorderly crew member opened the port side valves of Tamaroa's dry dock. Tamaroa had every sea cock cut out of her, the stern tube packing was out at the time so she sank fast.
    USCG Photo #: 3CGD 03146315, from the collections of the US Coast Guard Historian's Office    		 Mike Green
    Zuni 34k USCGC Tamaroa (WMEC-166), underway in heavy seas in April 1977, place unknown.
    US Coast Guard photo by PAC Dale Puckett USCG    		 US Coast Guard Historians Office
    Zuni 73k USCGC Tamaroa (WMEC-166), underway in August 1987.
    US Coast Guard photo.    		 US Coast Guard Historians Office
    Zuni 33k USCGC Tamaroa (WMEC-166), underway on International Ice Patrol in 1987.
    US Coast Guard photo.    		 US Coast Guard Historians Office
    Zuni
    093909520    		 45k USCGC Tamaroa (WMEC-166), underway circa 1989, location unknown
    US Coast Guard photo    		 Tommy Trampp
    Zuni
    093909521    		 38k USCGC Tamaroa (WMEC-166) dispatches her rigid hull inflatable rescue boat to help the sailboat Satori, which had three people aboard, about 75 miles south of Nantucket Island, MA. Satori was caught in a northeaster-like storm that raked New England on Halloween week.
    US Coast Guard photos    		 Tommy Trampp
    Zuni
    093909522    		 37k
    Zuni
    093909523    		 36k
    Zuni
    093909524    		 32k
    Zuni 2100k USCGC Tamaroa (WMEC-166), underway 1 May 1990, one year before she would sail into a vicious Halloween storm that later was dubbed "The Perfect Storm." Her crew saved seven lives then.
    US Coast Guard photo.    		 Robert Hurst
    Zuni 44k USCGC Tamaroa (WMEC-166), moored at a Coast Guard Yard, date unknown. Submitted by Larry Richter to National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Zuni 29k USCGC Tamaroa (WMEC-166), underway, date and place unknown. Submitted by Harry Jaeger to National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    73k USCGC Tamaroa (WMEC-166) conducting small boat operations in heavy seas off the Atlantic coast, date unknown. Bryan Fisher, RMC, USCG
    Zuni 57k USCGC Tamaroa (WMEC-166), prior to being towed from New Hampshire to New York City (funds provided by NAFTS) Submitted by Lenn Harten to National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Zuni 37k Ex-USCGC Tamaroa (WMEC-166), moored at New York City, Pier 40 Hudson River Submitted by Bill Doherty to National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Zuni Maritime Foundation
    Zuni 573k Ex-USS Zuni (ATF-95) / ex-USCGC Tamaroa (WMEC-166) at Baltimore inner harbors, 28 August 2007, prior to being towed to Norfolk VA.
    Photo by Frayedknotarts (real name unknown)    		 Robert Hurst
    Zuni
    093909525    		 38k Ex-USS Zuni (ATF-95) / ex-USCGC Tamaroa (WMEC-166) sits at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek in Virginia Beach, VA., awaiting renovation for use as a museum and classroom.
    Photo from Tamaroa/Zuni Maritime Foundation    		 Tommy Trampp
    Zuni 126k Ex-USS Zuni (ATF-95) / ex-USCGC Tamaroa (WMEC-166) after being repainted in March 2011.
    Photo from Tamaroa/Zuni Maritime Foundation    		 Tommy Trampp
    ex-USS Zuni (ATF-95) / ex-Tamaroa (WMEC-166)
    Shearwater 82k Ex-USS Zuni (ATF-95) [ex-USCGC Tamaroa (WMEC-166)] moored inboard of ex-FV Shearwater (ex-USNS Shearwater (T-AG-177) at Norfolk, date unknown. Dave Shirlaw
    Zuni
    093909526    		 74k The Coleen Marine tug Justin with ex-USCGC Tamaroa (WMEC-166)] in tow, 10 May 2017 before sinking.
    Photo by Kirk Moore, 'National Fisherman'    		 Tommy Trampp
    Zuni
    093909527    		 109k Ex-USCGC Tamaroa (WMEC-166)] ready for sinking, 10 May 2017, in the Del-Jersey-Land Reef site.
    Photos by Rich King, 'Delaware State News'    		 Tommy Trampp
    Zuni
    093909528    		 78k
    Zuni
    093909529    		 76k Ex-USCGC Tamaroa (WMEC-166)] sinking, 10 May 2017, in the Del-Jersey-Land Reef site.
    Photos by Rich King, 'Delaware State News'    		 Tommy Trampp
    USS Zuni (ATF-95)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Chance, Ray Edward, USN9 October 1943 - 1 April 1945
    02LT. Malayter, John Savage, USNR1 April 1945 - 2 July 1945
    03LT. Williams, Ross Russell, USNR2 July 1945 - September 1945
    04LTjg. Early, Jr., Ulysse S. Grant, USNRSeptember 1945 - April 1946
    05LT. Jeske, James John, USNApril 1946 - 29 June 1946
    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
    New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection News Release 10 May 2017 - Reefing of ex-Zuni/Tamaroa
    National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    USCGC Tamaroa (WMEC-166), Wikipedia
    Sinking the Tamaroa:'It was an awesome day', Delaware State News, 17 May 2017
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 2 October 2020