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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Tuscarora (ATA-245)
ex
 USS Tuscarora (YTB-341) (1944 - 1961)
 USS Tuscarora (YT-341) (1942 - 1944)
 USS Tuscarora (AT-77) (1941 - 1942)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Golf - Kilo - Delta
 NGKD
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal
Tuscarora Class Fleet Tug:
  • Laid down in 1940 at Orange, TX., by the Levingston Shipbuilding Co.
  • Acquired by the Navy in January 1941
  • Launched, 17 July 1941
  • Commissioned, USS Tuscarora (AT-77), 13 December 1941, CHBOSN George Kahel, USN in command
  • Reclassified, Harbor Tug, (YT-341), 5 November 1942
  • Redesignated Large Harbor Tug, (YTB-341), 15 May 1944
  • Decommissioned in November 1953 and laid up in reserve in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Green Cove Springs, FL.
  • Redesignated Auxiliary Fleet Tug (ATA-245) in November 1958
  • Custody assigned to MARAD, 8 March 1961, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet; James River Group, Lee Hall, VA
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 September 1961
  • Permanent transfer to MARAD, 1 September 1962
  • Permanent transfer to the Navy, 30 July 1975, for equipment removal and sale
  • Sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service, 1 October 1976, renamed Challenger
  • Acqauired in 1991 by the Merce Transportation Co. Sylvania, OH., renamed Triton
  • Acquired in 2000 by the Great Lakes Towing Co., Cleveland, OH., name retained
  • Transferred in 2002 to the Great Lakes Group subsidiary the Puerto Rico Tug and Barge Co., San Juan, Puerto Rico, name retained
  • In 2015, the Puerto Rico Tug and Barge Co. was acquired by the Moran Towing Corp. of New Canaan, CT., name retained
  • Acquired in 2016 by El Morro Inc., of Puerto Rico, renamed Providence
  • Re-powered, date unknown with two, EMD 6-645E6 diesel engines, twin screws rated at 3,950 horsepower
  • Current Disposition, unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement 530 t.
    Length 135'
    Beam 30'
    Draft 14' 2"
    Speed unknown
    Complement unknown
    Armament unknown
    Propulsion Diesel, single propeller, 1,500shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    USS Tuscarora (AT-77)
    Tuscarora 58k Tuscarora (AT-77) around the time of her delivery by her builders in December 1941. The gun forward is a 3"/23 AA gun; there are two firefighting nozzles on top of the forward superstructure.
    Cleveland Diesel (G.M.) brochure, loose pages held by the U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (CUP, L-file) Photo No. None, courtesy, Shipscribe.com.    		 Robert Hurst
    Tuscarora 87k Tuscarora (AT-77) moored pierside at Navy Yard Charleston, S.C., 7 January 1942.
    US National Archives, RG-19-LCM, Photo No. 19-N-26537    		 Mike Green
    Tuscarora 103k Tuscarora (AT-77) underway near Navy Yard Charleston, S.C., 8 January 1942.
    US National Archives, RG-19-LCM, Photo No. 19-N-26539    		 Mike Green
    USS Tuscarora (YT-341)
    Tuscarora 80k Tuscarora (YT-341) underway, circa 1943. Her small 3" gun has been removed but she retains her two firefighting nozzles on the superstructure.
    US Navy Photo # 80-G-171215 courtesy Shipscribe    		 Mike Green
    USS Tuscarora (YTB-341)
    Tuscarora 280k Tuscarora (YTB-341) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 Tommy Trampp
    USS Tuscarora (ATA-245)
    Tuscarora 108k Ex-USS Tuscarora (ATA-245) laid up in the James River Reserve Fleet in Maritime Administration custody, 1975. She went on to a long career as a commercial tug.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command, photo # NH 96607 by Martin Holbrook.    		 Mike Green
    Merchant Service
    Tuscarora
    094707708    		 62k Ex-USS Tuscarora (ATA-245) in merchant service as the Puerto Rico Tug and Barge Co. tug Triton moored pierside in Puerto Rico
    Tugboatinformation.com photo by Jose Luis Villafane    		 John Spivey
    Tuscarora
    094707707    		 170k Ex-USS Tuscarora (ATA-245) in merchant service as the tug Triton moored pierside in Guayama, Las Mareas, Puerto Rico, date unknown.
    Photo from www.flickriver.com by MRPlanespotter    		 John Spivey
    USS Tuscarora (AT-77 / YT-341 / YTB-341 / ATA-245)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CHBOSN Kahel, George, USN13 December 1941 - 1 January 1942
    02CHBOSN Snipes, Rodney Fred, USN1 January 1942 - 31 January 1942
    03ENS. Svendsen, Raymond Viggo, USN31 January 1942 - 1943
    04LT. George, John Watson, USNR1943 - 1944
    05LT. Gupa, Arthur Thomas, USNR1944 - 1945
    06LT. Thomas, Milfred Wesley USN1945 - 1946
    06LT. Baldock, Charles Wesley USN1946 - ?
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler
    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 Tug (AT) Photo Index Back To The District Harbor Tug (YT) Index Back To The District Harbor Tug Large (YTB) Index Back To the Auxiliary Fleet Tug (ATA) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 15 September 2023