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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by RM1 Tom Wagner

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Serrano (AGS-24)
ex
 USS Serrano (ATF-112) (1944 - 1960)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Xray - Alpha - Oscar
 NXAO
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons




Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, 3-4 March 1967) - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
Second Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1)
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal
Fourth Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Quemoy-Matsu) - Vietnam Service Medal (4)- Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Abnaki Class Fleet Ocean Tug:
  • Laid down, 6 March 1943, as Fleet Tug (AT-112), at United Engineering and Drydock Co., Alameda, CA.
  • Launched, 24 July1943
  • Reclassified Fleet Ocean Tug (ATF-112), 15 May 1944
  • Commissioned USS Serrano (ATF-112), 22 September 1944, LCDR. George E. Cook USN in command
  • During World War II USS Serrano was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater and participated in the:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaigns and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 24 June 1945

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

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    16 September 1945 to 20 April 194621 April to 12 May 1946
    1 to 5 August 1946 30 May to 25 June 1946

  • Decommissioned, 31 May 1950, at San Francisco, CA.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Francisco Group
  • Reactivated, reclassified and converted to a Survey Ship in early 1960
  • Recommissioned USS Serrano (AGS-24), 30 June 1960, at San Diego, CA, CDR. Floyd C. Searl USN in command
  • During the Vietnam War USS Serrano participated in the following campaigns:

    Vietnam Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Vietnam Defense
    22 to 24 December 1965     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive
    25 to 27 December1965
    6 to 14 January 1966
    30 January to 23 February 1966
    6 March to 11 April 1966
    18 April to 10 May 1966
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive-Phase II
    30 January to 31 May 1967     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive-Phase III
    1 June to 28 August 1967

  • Decommissioned, 2 January 1970
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 2 January 1970
  • USS Serrano earned one battle star for World War II service and four campaign stars for Vietnam War service
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 2 November 1971, to Tai-Kian Industry Co., Taiwan
    ATF 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
    four 750hp Busch-Sulzer BS-539 Diesel main engines driving four General Electric main drive generators and two 1500hp pulsation motors
    Ship's Service Generators
     two Diesel-drive 200Kw 120V/240V D.C.
     one Diesel-drive 100Kw 120V/240 D.C.
    single propeller, 3000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Serrano (ATF-112)
    Sarsi 680k Four Abnaki Class Fleet Ocean Tugs at the fitting out pier of United Engineering 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). An unidentified Fleet Tug is to starboard of Serrano
    A US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Alan Owens
    Munsee 1472k Six Abnaki Class Fleet Ocean Tugs at the fitting out pier of United Engineering 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
    Serrano 64k USS Serrano (ATF-112) moored pierside at Nagoya Japan, circa 1946. Submitted by Jeffrey C. Cummins for his Grandfather, Leon R. Cummins S1/c USS Serrano
    USS Serrano (AGS-24)
    Serrano 418k USS Serrano (AGS-24) under way during survey operations in the Gulf of Siam, circa 1961.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine April 1961, p. 8.    		 Robert Hurst
    Serrano 102 USS Serrano (AGS-24) alongside USS Maury (AGS-16) while moored at New Harbor, Bangkok, Thailand, circa 1963-64. Terry D. Gann EM2 USNR Ret. USS Maury
    Serrano 62k USS Serrano (AGS-24) under way, date and location unknown. Submitted by John Simpson to NAFTS National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Serrano 77k USS Serrano (AGS-24) at Yokosuka, Japan, circa 1967 Terry D. Gann EM2 USNR Ret. USS Maury
    Serrano 27k USS Serrano (AGS-24) at anchor, date and location unknown. Photo by Chuck Lewis BM3 USN Terry D. Gann EM2 USNR Ret. USS Maury
    Serrano 119k USS Serrano (AGS-24) under way off Oahu, HI., date unknown.
    US Navy photo # KN 4060. courtesy Shipscribe.com    		 Mike Green
    Serrano 402k Bow on view of USS Serrano (AGS-24) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Terry D. Gann EM2 USNR Ret. USS Maury
    Serrano 900k Port broadside view of USS Serrano (AGS-24) at sea, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Terry D. Gann EM2 USNR Ret. USS Maury
    Serrano 369k USS Serrano (AGS-24) alongside USS Maury (AGS-16), date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Terry D. Gann EM2 USNR Ret. USS Maury
    Serrano 730k USS Serrano (AGS-24) under way alongside another ship, date and location unknown. Terry D. Gann EM2 USNR Ret. USS Maury
    USS Serrano (ATF-112 / AGS-24)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Cook, George Edgar, USN22 September 1944 - 25 March 1946ATF-112
    01LTjg. Tiernan, Charles, Edgar, USN25 March 1946 - ?ATF-112
     Decommissioned31 May 1950 - 30 June 1960 
    04LCDR. Searl, Floyd Coleman, USN30 June 1960 - 18 December 1962AGS-24
    05LCDR. Castle, Ernest Carl, USN (USNA 1948-B)18 December 1962 - 27 March 1964AGS-24
    06LCDR. Chambers, Dudley Stevenson, USN27 March 1964 - 1 October 1966AGS-24
    07LCDR. Ralph,Jr., Steve, USN1 October 1966 - 31 May 1968AGS-24
    08LCDR. Kele III, Jordan, USN31 May 1968 - 2 January 1970AGS-24
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    USS Serrano (AGS-24)Welcome Aboard pamphlet
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    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 Fleet Ocean Tug (ATF) Photo Index Back To The Survey Ship (AGS) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 1 January 2021