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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Nipmuc (ATF-157)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Zulu - Echo - Bravo
 NZEB
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Expeditionary Medal (3-Cuba) - American Campaign Medal (2) - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Second Row - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (3-Dominican Republic)
Abnaki Class Fleet Ocean Tug:
  • Laid down, 2 December 1944, at Charleston Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Charleston, S.C.
  • Launched, date unknown
  • Commissioned USS Nipmuc (ATF-157), 8 July 1945, LT. Robert Gordan Hoffman in command
  • Decommissioned, date unknown
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 September 1978
  • Transferred to Venezuela, 1 September 1978, under the Security Assistance Program
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    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
    two depth charge tracks
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel Oil 2,275 Bbls
    Propulsion
    four GM 12-278A 750hp Diesel-electric engines
    single Fairbanks Morse Main Reduction Gears
    Ship's Service Generators
     two Diesel-drive 100Kw 120V/240V D.C.
     one Diesel-drive 200Kw 120V/240V D.C.
    single propeller 3,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Chilula 1611k Overall view of Charleston Shipbuilding & Drydock Co, Charleston S.C., in January 1945. Six ATF's are visible; three fitting out and three on the ways. Photo was taken from the mainmast of USS Chawasha (ATF-151) which was also fitting out. From front to back they are:
    USS Chilula (ATF-153)
    USS Cahuilla (ATF-152)
    USS Chimariko (ATF-154)
    USS Nipmuc (ATF-157)
    USS Cusabo (ATF-155)
    USS Luiseno (ATF-156).
    US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Alan Owens
    Luiseno 1874k Overall view of Charleston Shipbuilding & Drydock Co, Charleston S.C., in January 1945. Seven ATF's are visible, three on the ways at right, and four fitting out at left. From front to back they are:
    USS Luiseno (ATF-156)
    USS Cusabo (ATF-155)
    USS Nipmuc (ATF-157)
    USS Chimariko (ATF-154)
    USS Cahuilla (ATF-152)
    USS Chilula (ATF-153) and
    USS Chawasha (ATF-151).
    US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Alan Owens
    Nipmuc 34k USS Nipmuc (ATF-157) underway, date and location unknown. Submitted by Raoul Allesee
    to NAFTS
    National Association
    of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Nipmuc 41k USS Nipmuc (ATF-157) underway, date and location unknown. Submitted by Mike Baumann
    to NAFTS
    National Association
    of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Nipmuc 31k USS Nipmuc (ATF-157) moored pierside, date and location unknown. Submitted by Gene Conlon
    to NAFTS
    National Association
    of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Nipmuc 497k USS Nipmuc (ATF-157) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 Charles Lamm
    Constellation 81k USS Nipmuc (ATF-157) tows USS ARD-16 carrying ex-USS Constellation (IX-20) down Boston Harbor on 5 August 1955 during the historic vessel’s transfer to Baltimore. The commercial tug Hercules is near the floating dry dock’s bow, while Chegodega (YTB-542) is at the stern. (U.S. Navy photo, Boston National Historical Park Collection, NPS Cat. No. BOSTS-10726) Stephen P. Carlson Preservation Specialist Boston NHP Charlestown Navy Yard Boston, MA
    Glacier 670k USS Nipmuc (ATF-157) and USS Casa Grande (LSD-13) moored at Thule, Greenland, circa June-July 1959 Marc Schenck, Photo by his father LTjg. Bernard Schenck USS Glacier
    Glacier 636k USS Nipmuc (ATF-157) at the edge of pack ice off Greenland, June-July 1959 Marc Schenck, Photo by his father LTjg. Bernard Schenck USS Glacier
    Cadmus 84k USS Cadmus (AR-14) at Naval Station Newport, R.I., 30 May 1970 with USS Nipmuc (ATF-157), USS Harlan R. Dickson (DD-708) and USS Norris (DD-859) alongside. © Richard Leonhardt
    Nipmuc 101k USS Nipmuc (ATF-157), moored outboard of USS Penobscot (ATA-188) at Newport R.I. in June 1970. © Richard Leonhardt
    Nipmuc 1205k
    USS Nipmuc (ATF-157)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Hoffman, Robert Gordan8 July 1945 - ?
    02LCDR. Chapman, Dendall John1954 - 1955
    04LCDR. Denman Jr., Charles Culberson1962
    09LCDR. Duermeyer, Stephen PaulJune 1971 - August 1972
    12LT. Barbero, Mark1975 - ?
    13LT. Owens, Roger Lewis7 May 1977 - 1 September 1978
    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 Fleet Ocean Tug (ATF) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 3 May 2013