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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Pakana (ATF-108)
ex
 USS Pakana (AT-108) (1943 - 1944)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Xray - Bravo - Whiskey
 NXBW
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive-Okinawa) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Individual Awards

Purple Heart (3-WIA 23 April 1945)
Abnaki Class Fleet Ocean Tug:
  • Laid down, 1 October 1942, at United Engineering & Drydock Co., Alameda, CA.
  • Launched, 3 March 1943
  • Commissioned USS Pakana (AT-108), 17 December 1943, LT. William E. White in command
  • Redesignated Fleet Ocean Tug (ATF-108), 15 May 1944
  • During World War II USS Pakana was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 30 April to 22 June 1945

  • Following World War II USS Pakana was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 19 September 1945 to 1 March 1946
  • Decommissioned, 30 April 1948
  • Laid up in reserve at, San Diego, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 July 1963
  • USS Pakana earned one battle star for service in World War II
  • Transferred the Maritime Administration for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.
  • Reinstated in the Naval Register, 17 May 1966 and transferred to the Dept of Interior, Bureau of Mines
  • Final Disposition, sunk by gunfire, 27 May 1975
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,240 t.(lt) 1,675 t.(fl)
    Length 205'
    Beam 38' 6"
    Draft 15' 4"
    Speed 16.5 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 5
    Enlisted 80
    Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.
    Armament
    one single 3"/50 cal. dual purpose gun mount
    two single 40mm AA gun mounts
    two single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 2,225 Bbls
    Propulsion
    Diesel-electric, four 750hp Busch-Sulzer BS-539 Diesel main engines driving four General Electric main drive generators and two 1500hp pulsation motors
    three Diesel-drive General Motors 3-268A auxiliary services engines
    Ship's Service Generators
     two Diesel-drive 200Kw 120V D.C.
     one Diesel-drive 100Kw 120V D.C.
    single propeller, 3000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Pakana (ATF-108)
    Munsee 1472k Six Abnaki Class Fleet Ocean Tugs at the fitting out pier of United Engineers and Drydock Co., Alameda, CA., 8 October 1944: Right column;
    USS Munsee (ATF-107)
    USS Pakana (ATF-108)
    USS Potawatomi (ATF-109)
    Left column;
    USS Sarsi (ATF-111)
    USS Serrano (ATF-112) and
    USS Takelma (ATF-113)
    A US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Alan Owens
    Sarsi 680k Four Abnaki Class Fleet Ocean Tugs at the fitting out pier of United Engineers and Drydock Co., Alameda, CA., 8 October 1944. USS Sarsi (ATF-111) (foreground), to her starboard side is USS Munsee (ATF-107) and astern of Sarsi is USS Serrano (ATF-112) with Pakana (ATF-108) to starboard of Serrano
    A US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Alan Owens
    Pakana 35k USS Pakana (ATF-108) at anchor, date and location unknown. Courtesy USS Bush (DD-529) web site
    Pakana 265k The detached and capsized bow (at left) of the heavy cruiser USS Pittsburgh (CA-72) under tow toward Guam in June 1945. It had broken loose in a typhoon on 5 June. Two fleet tugs seen at right are probably USS Pakana (ATF-108) and USS Munsee (ATF-107).
    US Navy Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo # NH 98251    		 Robert Hurst
    Dept of Interior Bureau of Mines
    Pakana 1047k Ex-USS Pakana (ATF-108) in May 1967 just prior to being placed in service as the Bureau of Mines research ship R/V Virginia City moored at the Marine Minerals Technology Center, Tiburon, CA. Photo from the San Francisco Examiner photo archives. David Buell
    Pakana 1655k R/V Virginia City moored at the Marine Minerals Technology Center, Tiburon, CA., 22 June 1967. Note the addition of the helicopter platform forward and the equipment aft. Photo from the San Francisco Examiner photo archives. David Buell
    USS Pakana (ATF-108)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. White, William Edward, USN 1 December 1943 - 14 November 1945
    02LT. Holland, Harris Blake, USN 14 November 1945 - 25 November 1946
    03LT. Schwenneker, Felton Bonepart, USN 25 November 1946 - 1 October 1947
    04LTjg Taylor, Raymond Eastely, USN1 October 1947 - 30 April 1948
    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 (AT) Tug Photo Index Back To the Fleet Ocean (ATF) Tug Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 21 April 2021