USS Tawasa (AT-92)
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| History | |
|---|---|
 United States
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| Name: | USS Tawasa |
| Builder: | Commercial Iron Works, Portland, Oregon |
| Laid down: | 7 September 1942 |
| Launched: | 22 February 1943 |
| Commissioned: | 17 July 1943 |
| Decommissioned: | 31 March 1975 |
| Reclassified: | ATF-92, 15 May 1944 |
| Struck: | 1 April 1975 |
| Honors and awards: |
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| Fate: | Sold for scrapping, 1 August 1976 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Cherokee-class fleet tug |
| Displacement: | 1,235 long tons (1,255 t) |
| Length: | 205 ft (62 m) |
| Beam: | 38 ft 6 in (11.73 m) |
| Draft: | 15 ft 4 in (4.67 m) |
| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: | 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) |
| Complement: | 85 |
| Armament: |
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USS Tawasa (AT-92) was a Cherokee-class fleet tug constructed for the United States Navy during World War II. Her purpose was to aid ships, usually by towing, on the high seas or in combat or post-combat areas, plus "other duties as assigned." She served in the Pacific Ocean and had a very successful career marked by the winning of three battle stars during World War II, two during the Korean War, and seven campaign stars during the Vietnam crisis.
Tawasa was laid down on 22 June 1942 at Portland, Oregon, by the Commercial Iron Works; launched on 22 February 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Thomas F. Sullivan, mother of the five Sullivan brothers; and commissioned on 17 July 1943, Lt. Fred C. Clark in command.
Tawasa held her shakedown cruise off the lower California coast in late August and returned to Portland. The tug steamed to San Pedro, California, in October and departed there on the 20th for Hawaii, towing two fuel oil barges. She arrived at Pearl Harbor on 4 November and was assigned to Service Force, Pacific Fleet. The next day, the tug headed for the Ellice Islands and arrived at Funafuti on the 20th.
Tawasa was routed onward to the Gilbert Islands and arrived on 26 November at Abemama, which, only the day before, had been taken by American marines. On 3 December, she moved to Tarawa. The tug made round trips between Tarawa and Funafuti in December 1943 and January 1944. On 21 January, she stood out of Tarawa and rendezvoused with Task Force (TF) 52, the Southern Attack Force, for the invasion of the Marshall Islands. Off Kwajalein Atoll on the 31st, Tawasa took soundings enabling Mississippi (BB-41) to approach the shore for close bombardment. The tug then performed salvage, towing, and screening duty until 18 February when she moved to Eniwetok to assist in the assault that was to strike that atoll the next morning. She supported operations until the atoll was secured and remained in the area for almost two months, providing services to American ships using this new base. Tawasa departed the Marshalls on 12 April for a tender availability at Pearl Harbor and to have a radar installed.
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