USS Koka (AT-31)

USS Koka (AT-31) was a sclass|Bagaduce|fleet tug in the service of the United States Navy. Previously named "Oconee", she was renamed "Koka" on February 24 1919, and alternately referred to as USS "KoJca" in some Navy records. She was launched July 11 1919 by the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, and commissioned February 18 1920, Lt. (j.g.) J. C. Bauman, Jr. in command.

Assigned to the 11th Naval District, "Koka" sailed from Puget Sound to San Diego, California in March 1920, and spent the next 17 years performing various tug and target-towing services out of San Diego. On 20 March 1934 she had the honor of towing USS|Constitution out of San Diego on the homeward leg of "Constitution"'s 1930s tour of the US. [cite web |url= http://www.uscs.org/site%20archive/cover%20of%20the%20month/march07.htm |title= MARCH COVER USS CONSTITUTION |accessdate= 2008-02-02 ]

On December 7 1937 "Koka" ran aground off San Clemente Island and was officially decommissioned the same day. She was declared unsalvageable and abandoned as a wreck on January 22 1938. Her name was struck from the Naval Register on March 2 1938. The wreck of the "Koka" lies in 10 feet of water in Northwest Harbor, San Clemente Island.

References

*

External links

* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/o1/oconee-i.htm history.navy.mil: USS "Oconee"]
*
* [http://www.cawreckdivers.org/Wrecks/Koka.htm "Koka" wreck diving information]