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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Patches contributed by Mike Smolinski


Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Luiseno (ATF-156)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Yankee - Xray - Xray
 NYXX
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Unit Commendation - Navy Expeditionary Medal (Cuba) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Cuba)

USS Luiseno was transferred to Argentina and renamed ARA Francisco De Gurruchaga (A3)
Abnaki Class Fleet Ocean Tug:
  • Laid down, 7 November 1944, at Charleston Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Charleston, S.C.
  • Launched, 17 March 1945
  • Commissioned USS Luiseno (ATF-156), 16 June 1945, LT. William O. Talley in command
  • Decommissioned, and struck from the Naval Register, 1 July 1975
  • Transferred to Argentina under terms of the Security Assistance Program and renamed ARA Francisco De Gurruchaga (A3)
  • 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
    USS Luiseno (ATF-156)
    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
    Luiseno 179k USS Luiseno (ATF-156) at anchor, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "Mud, Muscles and Miracles", by CAPT. Charles A. Bartholomew, USN and CDR. William I. Milwee, Jr., USN (Ret.)    		 Robert Hurst
    Luiseno 546k USS Luiseno (ATF-156) under way in 1955, location unknown. Alan Owens
    Baldwin 101k USS Baldwin (DD-624) at right during operations to refloat her at Montauk Point, Long Island, N.Y., at 1030 hrs. 28 April 1961. The "mothballed" destroyer had broken free from her towline, 16 April 1961, and drifted ashore. Among the ships engaged in the salvage effort are USS Hoist (ARS-40), USS Salvage (ARSD-3), USS Windlass (ARSD-4) and a fleet tug (ATF). photographed from an aircraft based at Naval Air Station Quonset Point, R. I. Baldwin was towed seaward by USS Luiseno (ATF-156), bottom left, and USS Recovery (ARS-43), top left, and sunk by their gunfire, in 200 fathoms. Both Salvager and Windlass (ARSD-4), participated in towing her off the beach.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 99108    		 Robert Hurst
    Luiseno 72k USS Luiseno (ATF-156) underway at Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, January 1971. © Richard Leonhardt
    ARA Francisco De Gurruchaga (A3)
    Luiseno 42k
    Namesake
    Francisco Bruno de Gurruchaga y Fernández Pedroso - Argentine politician, a supporter of the May Revolution, a member of the Junta Grande that governed his country, and involved in Argentina's political shaping. Contribution of Francisco Javier Santos Vázquez.    		 Fabio Pena
    Cahuilla 50k ARA Francisco De Gurruchaga (A-3) (ex-USS Luiseno (ATF-156) moored inboard of ARA Comandante General Irigoyen (A-1) (ex-USS Cahuilla (ATF-152) while at Mar Del Plata Naval Base Argentina, date unknown.
    Photo courtesy of Armada Argentina web site    		 Robert Hurst
    Cahuilla 42k
    Luiseno
    092915606    		 65k ARA Hercules (B-52) and ARA Francisco de Gurruchaga (A-3) ex USS Luiseno (ATF-156) moored pierside at an Argentine Naval Base. Both ships appear to be out of commission. Dave Shirlaw, Seawaves Magazine
    USS Luiseno (ATF-156)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Talley Sr., William Odell16 June 1945 - ?
    02LT. Cave Jr., Thomas Henry, USNRDecember 1946 - 1 August 1947
    03LT. McCullar, Cecil Holmes, USN1 August 1947 - 1949
    04LCDR. Zenni, Martin M., USN (USNA 1946) March 1954 - 1956
    05LT. Hughes, Kenneth Paul, USN (USNA 1953)1960 - 1961
    06LCDR. Rogers Jr., Edmund Dix, USN1962 - 1964
    07LCDR. Moore, Hugh Albert, USN1964 - 31 August 1965
    08LCDR. Wheat, Elbert Ervin, USN3 August 1965 - 31 October 1965
    09LCDR. Moore, Hugh Albert, USN31 October 1965 - 20 December 1965
    10LCDR. Wheat, Elbert Ervin, USN20 December 1965 - 1967
    11LCDR. Mosher, Andrew Charles, USN1967 - 1969
    12LT. McGourthy, Jerome Francis, USNR1969 - 1971
    13LT. Anastasi, George Martin, USN1971 - 15 September 1972
    14LT. Gonding, Robert Lee, USN15 September 1972 - 17 October 1973
    15LT. Woodall, Stephen Russell USN (USNA 1967)17 October 1973 - 1 July 1975
    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
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    Last Updated 23 April 2021