USS Cahuilla (ATF-152)

USS "Cahuilla" (ATF-152) was a Navajo class fleet tug in the service of the United States Navy during World War II.

She was laid down as "Cahuilla" (AT-152) at Charleston Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co. of Charleston, South Carolina; redesignated fleet ocean tug (ATF-152) on 15 May 1944; launched on 2 November 1944; and commissioned USS "Cahuilla" (ATF-152) on 10 March 1945.

World War II Pacific Theatre operations

USS "Cahuilla's" first service to the U.S. Navy was a brief tour as antisubmarine attack teacher at Norfolk, Virginia. From there she sailed 18 April 1945 towing USS|Pegasus|AK-48 for Pearl Harbor. After delivering her tow 24 May, the fleet tug sailed for Guam, where she took a string of pontoon barges in tow for Okinawa.

From 26 July to 6 August, she served to escort convoys and as rescue tug for the ships passing through the dangerous waters off Okinawa, subject to the desperate suicide attacks of Japanese aircraft.

End-of-War operations

The end of the war found USS "Cahuilla" at sea, bound for salvage operations at Eniwetok, from which she returned to take part in the occupation of Nagasaki, Japan, until 16 October. From that time she was based on Okinawa for rescue and tow operations until 14 February 1946. USS "Cahuilla" continued to offer towing service to fleet units, and rescue work to naval and merchant ships, calling at Pearl Harbor, Kwajalein, and ports of the west coast and Panama Canal Zone until January 1947.

Decommissioning

USS "Cahuilla" was decommissioned on 27 June 1947 at San Diego, California. Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, she was struck from the Naval Register and later transferred, under the Security Assistance Program, to Argentina on 9 July 1961. Renamed ARA "Comandante General Irigoyen", she is still active in the Argentine Navy as of 2004.

References

See also

* List of United States Navy ships

External links

* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/39/39152.htm NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive - AT-152 / ATF-152 Cahuilla]