USS Keosanqua (ATA-198)

Originally designated as ATR-125, "Keosanqua" was redesignated ATA-198 on 15 May 1944. "Keosanqua" was a Maricopa Class Auxiliary Fleet Tug; Authorized as Rescue Ocean Tug ATR-125; Redesignated Auxiliary Fleet Tug ATA-198, 15 May 1944; Laid down (date unknown) at Levingston Shipbuilding Co., Orange, Texas; Launched, 17 January 1945; Commissioned, 19 March 1945, LT. J. L. Bean in command; Named "Keosanqua" (ATA-198), 16 July 1948.

Pacific Theatre operations

Departing Galveston, Texas, 18 April, ATA-198 steamed via the Panama Canal and San Francisco, California, for duty in the Pacific. She reached Pearl Harbor 1 June, then continued 7 June via Eniwetok and Ulithi towing USS Pegasus (IX-222) to the Philippines. Arriving Leyte Gulf 18 July, she departed the 21st and reached Pearl Harbor via Kwajalein 7 August. From 9 August to 31 October she made two towing runs to San Francisco, California, and then resumed harbor and barge towing duty out of Pearl Harbor. For more than 3 years she made periodic towing runs to Wake Island; to various islands in the Hawaiian chain, including Maui and Midway Island; and to the U.S. West Coast.

Korean War operations

Renamed "Keosanqua" 16 July 1948, she departed Pearl Harbor 7 December for Long Beach, California, where she arrived 22 December. Proceeding to San Diego, California, 3 January 1949, she commenced target towing duty with the Fleet Sonar School and provided harbor and coastal towing services between San Diego and Long Beach, California. On 19 June 1951, while the United States fought to protect South Korea from Communist aggression, she departed San Diego for a 10-month deployment in the western Pacific Ocean. Operating primarily out of Sasebo, Japan, "Keosanqua" provided tug service along the coast of Korea from Makpo to Inchon. Departing Sasebo 25 March, she steamed via Pearl Harbor to San Diego, California, arriving 19 April. On two subsequent deployments (26 January-30 September 1953 and 7 February-2 October 1955) "Keosanqua" served with the U.S. 7th Fleet in the Far East, providing harbor tug and target towing services out of Sasebo and Yokosuka, Japan.

Decommissioning

After returning from the western Pacific in 1955, she continued operations out of San Diego, California, until 25 May 1956 when she decommissioned and entered the Pacific Reserve Fleet. Her name was struck from the Navy List 1 May 1961. She was transferred to the Republic of Korea and commissioned ROKS Yong Mun (ATA-2) on 1 February 1962.

Awards

"Keosanqua" received three battle stars for Korean War service because of her actions in (1) United Nations Summer-Fall Offensive from 4 to 8 November 1951 and (2) Second Korean Winter from 11 to 13 and 18 to 25 January 1952, 29 February to 6 March 1952, 9 to 21 March 1952, and 24 April 1953.

References

*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/k3/keosanqua-ii.htm

External links

* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/38/38198.htm NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive - ATR-125 / ATA-198 Keosanqua]