ARA Alferez Sobral
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Alférez Sobral in Ushuaia, 2008
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| History | |
|---|---|
 United States
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| Name: | USS Salish (ATA-187) |
| Namesake: | Salish tribe |
| Laid down: | 29 August 1944 |
| Launched: | 29 September 1944 |
| Commissioned: | 7 December 1944 |
| Decommissioned: | 10 February 1972 |
| Fate: | transferred to Argentine Navy, 10 February 1972 |
| Struck: | 1 February 1975 |
| History | |
 Argentina
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| Name: | Alférez Sobral |
| Namesake: | José María Sobral |
| Acquired: | 10 February 1972 |
| Status: | in active service |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 835 tons (848 t) (full) |
| Length: | 143 ft (44 m) |
| Beam: | 33 ft 10 in (10.31 m) |
| Draft: | 13 ft 2 in (4.01 m) |
| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: | 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) |
| Complement: | 45–49 |
| Armament: |
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ARA Alférez Sobral (A-9) is an 800-ton ocean-going tug in service with the Argentine Navy since 1972, where she is classified as an aviso. She had previously served in the US Navy as the fleet tug USS Salish (ATA-187). In Argentine service an aviso is a small naval vessel used for a number of auxiliary tasks, including tugging, laying buoys, and replenishing other ships, lighthouses and naval bases.
Built by Levingston Shipbuilding Co., at Orange, Texas as a Sotoyomo-class rescue tug, she served as USS Salish (ATA-187) from 1944 to 1972.
The ship was named after Antarctic explorer Alférez José María Sobral (1880–1961). She was acquired on 10 February 1972 along with her sister-ship ARA Comodoro Somellera from Mayport, Florida on 6 March 1972 and arriving to Puerto Belgrano on 18 April.
In the early hours of 3 May 1982, the ship was hit by at least two Sea Skua anti-ship missiles fired by British Westland Lynx HAS.Mk.2/3 helicopters.
At the time the ship was approximately 60 nautical miles (110 km) north of the Falkland Islands searching for the crew of a downed Canberra (B-110) bomber that had been shot down two days earlier by an AIM-9 Sidewinder AAM (air-to-air missile) fired from a British BAe Sea Harrier FRS.Mk.1 (XZ451). The Sobral was initially spotted by a Westland Sea King helicopter. When the helicopter approached to investigate, it was shot at by the vessel's 20 mm fore cannon. The helicopter immediately retreated and called for assistance.
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