ARA Comodoro Somellera (A-10)
Encyclopedia
The ARA Comodoro Somellera (A-10) was a Sotoyomo-class rescue tug
that served in the Argentine Navy
from 1972 to 1998 classified as Aviso
. She previously served in the US Navy as USS Catawba (ATA-210) from 1945 to 1972.
reclassified ATA-210 on 15 May 1944, launched 15 February 1945 and commissioned by the Navy 18 April 1945. In 1959 she served in Operation Inland Seas
. She was decommissioned on 1972 and transferred to the Argentine Navy.
General Rondeau to fight in the Argentina–Brazil War. She was acquired in 1972 along with her sister ship ARA Alferez Sobral (A-9), departing together from Mayport, Florida on 6 March 1972 and arriving Puerto Belgrano
on April 18.
Both ships served during the 1982 Falklands War
where they were involved in a confused episode. The British claimed to have sunk the Somellera with Sea Skua
but this claim was subsequently dropped when the British evaluated wartime claims after the war. Somellera spent the period of the war in the opening of the Strait of Magellan
. From 1988 she was assigned to the Ushuaia
naval base until 1995, when she was transferred back to Puerto Belgrano.
In 1997, she participated on Operacion Calypso in an attempt to find nazi submarines sunk in the Patagonian coast.
The ship continued to serve in the Argentine navy until 1998 when, after finishing an exercise with the Chilean Navy, she sank in the port of Ushuaia during a storm following a collision with ARA Suboficial Castillo
.
The ship was later refloated but the hull was considered too old to be repaired and was finally retired from the naval service.
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
that served in the Argentine Navy
Argentine Navy
The Navy of the Argentine Republic or Armada of the Argentine Republic is the navy of Argentina. It is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, together with the Army and the Air Force....
from 1972 to 1998 classified as Aviso
Aviso
An aviso , a kind of dispatch boat or advice boat, survives particularly in the French navy, they are considered equivalent to the modern sloop....
. She previously served in the US Navy as USS Catawba (ATA-210) from 1945 to 1972.
US Navy service
Catawba was laid down as ATR-137 at Gulfport Boiler & Welding Works shipyard in Port Arthur, TexasPort Arthur, Texas
-Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 57,755 people, 21,839 households, and 14,675 families residing in the city. The population density was 696.5 people per square mile . There were 24,713 housing units at an average density of 298.0 per square mile...
reclassified ATA-210 on 15 May 1944, launched 15 February 1945 and commissioned by the Navy 18 April 1945. In 1959 she served in Operation Inland Seas
Operation Inland Seas
Operation Inland Seas was a United States Navy operation to celebrate the completion of the Saint Lawrence Seaway in 1959.Task Force 47 , a 28-ship detachment of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet under the command of Rear Admiral Edmund B...
. She was decommissioned on 1972 and transferred to the Argentine Navy.
Argentine service
The ship was named after Commodore :es:Antonio Somellera who joined the Argentine Navy in 1828 with his BrigantineBrigantine
In sailing, a brigantine or hermaphrodite brig is a vessel with two masts, only the forward of which is square rigged.-Origins of the term:...
General Rondeau to fight in the Argentina–Brazil War. She was acquired in 1972 along with her sister ship ARA Alferez Sobral (A-9), departing together from Mayport, Florida on 6 March 1972 and arriving Puerto Belgrano
Puerto Belgrano
Base Naval Puerto Belgrano is the largest naval base of the Argentine Navy, situated next to Punta Alta, near Bahía Blanca, about south of Buenos Aires...
on April 18.
Both ships served during the 1982 Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
where they were involved in a confused episode. The British claimed to have sunk the Somellera with Sea Skua
Sea Skua
The Sea Skua is a British lightweight short-range air-to-surface missile designed for use from helicopters against ships. It is primarily used by the Royal Navy on the Westland Lynx helicopter, although Kuwait uses it in a shore battery and on their Umm Al Maradem fast attack craft.The British...
but this claim was subsequently dropped when the British evaluated wartime claims after the war. Somellera spent the period of the war in the opening of the Strait of Magellan
Strait of Magellan
The Strait of Magellan comprises a navigable sea route immediately south of mainland South America and north of Tierra del Fuego...
. From 1988 she was assigned to the Ushuaia
Ushuaia
Ushuaia may refer to the following:*Ushuaia, a city in Argentina.**Ushuaia Department, an administrative division**Ushuaia River**Ushuaia International Airport**Colegio Nacional de Ushuaia, National School of Ushuaia....
naval base until 1995, when she was transferred back to Puerto Belgrano.
In 1997, she participated on Operacion Calypso in an attempt to find nazi submarines sunk in the Patagonian coast.
The ship continued to serve in the Argentine navy until 1998 when, after finishing an exercise with the Chilean Navy, she sank in the port of Ushuaia during a storm following a collision with ARA Suboficial Castillo
ARA Suboficial Castillo (A-6)
The ARA Suboficial Castillo is a Abnaki class tug patrol boat of the Argentine Navy. She previously served in the US Navy as USS Takelma from 1944 to 1976....
.
The ship was later refloated but the hull was considered too old to be repaired and was finally retired from the naval service.