History | |
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United States | |
Name: | USNS Catawba (T-ATF-168) |
Namesake: | The Catawba, a Native American people of the southeast United States |
Owner: | United States Navy |
Operator: | Military Sealift Command |
Awarded: | 12 September 1975 |
Builder: | Marinette Marine |
Laid down: | 14 December 1977 |
Launched: | 22 September 1979 |
Acquired: | 28 May 1980 |
Identification: |
|
Status: | in active service |
General characteristics | |
Class and type: | Powhatan-class fleet ocean tug |
Displacement: | 1,387 tons light, 2000 tons full |
Length: | 226 ft (69 m) |
Beam: | 42 ft (13 m) |
Draft: | 15 ft (4.6 m) |
Propulsion: | Diesel |
Complement: | Officers: 4 Enlisted: 13 |
USNS Catawba is a Powhatan-class fleet ocean tug operated by the Military Sealift Command for the United States Navy. Currently home ported in Manama, Bahrain.
USNS Catawba was deployed to the Northern Persian Gulf during the second Gulf War (Feb-Mar 2003). Her divers provided critical assistance in recovering the bodies of aircrew from two 849 Naval Air Squadron Sea King ASaC.7 helicopters which had collided on 22 March 2003 off the Al-Faw Peninsula, while operating from HMS Ark Royal.
Catawba provided MV Faina with food, water, and medical supplies after that ship was released by Somali pirates.