USS Tawakoni (ATF-114)
Encyclopedia
The USS Tawakoni (ATF-114) was an Abnaki class Fleet Ocean Tug that served on active duty with the U.S. Navy from 1944 to 1978, seeing action in World War II
, the Korean War
and the Vietnam War
. After thirty-four years of service, she was sold to the Republic of China Navy
(Taiwan
), where she was still serving as of 2005.
tribe of the Wichita group that lived in Texas
on the banks of the middle Brazos
and Trinity River
s during the 18th and 19th centuries. She began her naval career in the Pacific theater, joining the U.S. 5th fleet just in time for the invasion
of Iwo Jima
, which took place in February 1945. During this battle, Tawakoni assisted the destroyer minesweeper USS Gamble (DM-15) which had been hit by two 250 pound bombs on the 18th. She also assisted in retraction, towing and salvage operations off Iwo until the latter part of March, when she returned to Ulithi
for repairs to minor damage suffered during the battle.
On 6 April 1945, Tawakoni was involved in the invasion
of Okinawa when she was attacked by several Japanese kamikaze
planes while assisting the badly-damaged USS Bush (DD-529)
about fifty miles from the island. Through violent maneuvering and excellent gunnery on the part of her crew, the ship managed to down five Japanese aircraft while suffering minimal damage herself. On 16 April, Tawakoni participated in the invasion of Ie Shima, where she towed the damaged USS Laffey (DD-724)
to safety while downing yet another kamikaze plane. On 1 July, she made for Leyte
in the Philippines
, which is where V-J day found her.
and other services and visiting ports from America
to Asia
. In November 1950, she joined Task Force 90, Amphibious Force, Far East, operating in support of United Nations
efforts in Korea
. During the Korean War, she took part in three campaigns: Communist China Aggression (1950–51); First UN Counteroffensive (1951); and the Communist China Spring Offensive (1951). She planted buoy
s in the channels at Wonsan
, Hungnam
and Inchon harbors, and provided towing services to ships of the 7th Fleet during her Korean service.
, a series of high-energy (high-yield) nuclear tests by Navy Joint Task Force SEVEN (JTF-7) at Bikini Atoll
. The highest level of contamination recorded aboard the ship during this operation was 0.2 mr/hr.
electronic intelligence trawler
s monitoring U.S. operations in the Gulf of Tonkin
. She also assisted in towing, recovery and similar operations during her time in Vietnam.
s for World War II (including the American Campaign Medal
and the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
), Korea
and Vietnam
. She was also awarded two battle stars for her World War II service, three for her Korean War service, and four campaign stars for her Vietnam War service, together with a Combat Action Ribbon
and a Navy Unit Commendation
. Her crew during these periods earned the Navy Occupation Service Medal
, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
, and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal, among other awards.
under the Security Assistance Program, where she was recomissioned in the Taiwan Navy as the ARM Ta Mo (A-553). She was still serving with this force as of 2005.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
and the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. After thirty-four years of service, she was sold to the Republic of China Navy
Republic of China Navy
The Republic of China Navy is the maritime branch of the Armed forces of the Republic of China . The ROC Navy's primary mission is to defend ROC territories and the sea lanes that surround Taiwan against a blockade, attack, or possible invasion by forces of the People's Republic of China...
(Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
), where she was still serving as of 2005.
World War II
Tawakoni was named after a Caddoan IndianIndigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
tribe of the Wichita group that lived in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
on the banks of the middle Brazos
Brazos River
The Brazos River, called the Rio de los Brazos de Dios by early Spanish explorers , is the longest river in Texas and the 11th longest river in the United States at from its source at the head of Blackwater Draw, Curry County, New Mexico to its mouth at the Gulf of Mexico with a drainage...
and Trinity River
Trinity River
Trinity River may refer to:*Trinity River *Trinity River...
s during the 18th and 19th centuries. She began her naval career in the Pacific theater, joining the U.S. 5th fleet just in time for the invasion
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima , or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Empire of Japan. The U.S...
of Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
, which took place in February 1945. During this battle, Tawakoni assisted the destroyer minesweeper USS Gamble (DM-15) which had been hit by two 250 pound bombs on the 18th. She also assisted in retraction, towing and salvage operations off Iwo until the latter part of March, when she returned to Ulithi
Ulithi
Ulithi is an atoll in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, about 191 km east of Yap. It consists of 40 islets totalling , surrounding a lagoon about long and up to wide—at one of the largest in the world. It is administered by the state of Yap in the Federated States of...
for repairs to minor damage suffered during the battle.
On 6 April 1945, Tawakoni was involved in the invasion
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945...
of Okinawa when she was attacked by several Japanese kamikaze
Kamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
planes while assisting the badly-damaged USS Bush (DD-529)
USS Bush (DD-529)
USS Bush , a Fletcher-class destroyer, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Lieutenant William Sharp Bush, USMC, who served on the during the War of 1812....
about fifty miles from the island. Through violent maneuvering and excellent gunnery on the part of her crew, the ship managed to down five Japanese aircraft while suffering minimal damage herself. On 16 April, Tawakoni participated in the invasion of Ie Shima, where she towed the damaged USS Laffey (DD-724)
USS Laffey (DD-724)
USS Laffey , an , was the 2nd ship of the United States Navy to be named for Bartlett Laffey. Seaman Laffey was awarded the Medal of Honor for his stand against Confederate forces on 5 March 1864...
to safety while downing yet another kamikaze plane. On 1 July, she made for Leyte
Leyte
Leyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Tacloban City and occupies the northern three-quarters of the Leyte Island. Leyte is located west of Samar Island, north of Southern Leyte and south of Biliran...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, which is where V-J day found her.
Korean War
Following the Second World War, Tawakoni generally operated in the Pacific area, performing towingTowing
Towing is the process of pulling or drawing behind a chain, line, bar or some other form of couplings. Towing is most visibly performed by road vehicles, but anything from waterborne vessels to tractors to people can tow cargo. Troop carrying and cargo carrying gliders were towed behind powered...
and other services and visiting ports from America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. In November 1950, she joined Task Force 90, Amphibious Force, Far East, operating in support of United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
efforts in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. During the Korean War, she took part in three campaigns: Communist China Aggression (1950–51); First UN Counteroffensive (1951); and the Communist China Spring Offensive (1951). She planted buoy
Buoy
A buoy is a floating device that can have many different purposes. It can be anchored or allowed to drift. The word, of Old French or Middle Dutch origin, is now most commonly in UK English, although some orthoepists have traditionally prescribed the pronunciation...
s in the channels at Wonsan
Wonsan
Wŏnsan is a port city and naval base in southeastern North Korea. It is the capital of Kangwŏn Province. The population of the city is estimated to have been 331,000 in 2000. Notable people from Wŏnsan include Kim Ki Nam, diplomat and Secretary of the Workers' Party.- History :The original name of...
, Hungnam
Hungnam
Hŭngnam was the third largest city in North Korea.It is a port city on the eastern coast, in South Hamgyong Province, on the Sea of Japan . The city covers an area of 250 square kilometers...
and Inchon harbors, and provided towing services to ships of the 7th Fleet during her Korean service.
Operation Castle
In March 1954, Tawakoni was one of the ships tasked to support Operation CastleOperation Castle
Operation Castle was a United States series of high-energy nuclear tests by Joint Task Force SEVEN at Bikini Atoll beginning in March 1954...
, a series of high-energy (high-yield) nuclear tests by Navy Joint Task Force SEVEN (JTF-7) at Bikini Atoll
Bikini Atoll
Bikini Atoll is an atoll, listed as a World Heritage Site, in the Micronesian Islands of the Pacific Ocean, part of Republic of the Marshall Islands....
. The highest level of contamination recorded aboard the ship during this operation was 0.2 mr/hr.
Vietnam War
During the Vietnam War, Tawakoni would see service in three campaigns: Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase VI (1968–69), Tet 69 Counteroffensive (1969), and Winter-Spring 1970. During Phase VI, she participated in the surveillance of SovietSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
electronic intelligence trawler
Naval trawler
A naval trawler is a vessel built along the lines of a fishing trawler but fitted out for naval purposes. Naval trawlers were widely used during the First and Second world wars. Fishing trawlers were particularly suited for many naval requirements because they were robust boats designed to work...
s monitoring U.S. operations in the Gulf of Tonkin
Gulf of Tonkin
The Gulf of Tonkin is an arm of the South China Sea, lying off the coast of northeastern Vietnam.-Etymology:The name Tonkin, written "東京" in Hán tự and Đông Kinh in romanised Vietnamese, means "Eastern Capital", and is the former toponym for Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam...
. She also assisted in towing, recovery and similar operations during her time in Vietnam.
Awards
Tawakoni was awarded the appropriate service medalService medal
A service medal is a military award generally of the lowest degree. A service medal is awarded to a member of the military who joins the military, or is already serving, during a designated time period...
s for World War II (including the American Campaign Medal
American Campaign Medal
The American Campaign Medal was a military decoration of the United States armed forces which was first created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt...
and the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal is a service decoration of the Second World War which was awarded to any member of the United States military who served in the Pacific Theater from 1941 to 1945 and was created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was...
), Korea
Korean Service Medal
The Korean Service Medal is an award of the United States military and was created in November 1950 by executive order of President Harry Truman. The Korean Service Medal is the primary United States medal for participation in the Korean War and is awarded to any U.S. service member, who...
and Vietnam
Vietnam Service Medal
The Vietnam Service Medal is a military award which was created in 1965 by order of President Lyndon B. Johnson. The distinctive design was the creation of sculptor Thomas Hudson Jones, a former employee of the Army Institute of Heraldry. The medal is issued to recognize military service during...
. She was also awarded two battle stars for her World War II service, three for her Korean War service, and four campaign stars for her Vietnam War service, together with a Combat Action Ribbon
Combat Action Ribbon
The Combat Action Ribbon is a personal military decoration of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, and United States Coast Guard which is awarded to those who, in any grade including and below that of a Captain in the Navy and Coast Guard , have actively participated in ground or...
and a Navy Unit Commendation
Navy Unit Commendation
The Navy Unit Commendation of the United States Navy is an award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944...
. Her crew during these periods earned the Navy Occupation Service Medal
Navy Occupation Service Medal
The Navy Occupation Service Medal is a decoration of the United States Navy which was issued to Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard personnel who participated in the European and Asian occupation forces following the close of the World War II. The decoration was also bestowed to personnel who...
, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal is a military award of the United States military, which was first created in 1961 by Executive Order of President John Kennedy...
, and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal, among other awards.
Taiwan Navy service
In June 1978, Tawakoni was decommissioned and sold to TaiwanRepublic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
under the Security Assistance Program, where she was recomissioned in the Taiwan Navy as the ARM Ta Mo (A-553). She was still serving with this force as of 2005.
Sources
- USS Tawakoni (ATF-114). Contains basic info on the Tawakoni.
- Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, "USS Tawakoni". Contains history of the Tawakoni.
- History of USS Tawakoni (ATF-114) During Operation Castle 1954. Gives details of Tawakoni's activities during this nuclear test operation.
External links
- USS Tawakoni. Offers several photos from the Tawakoni's service, circa 1958-78.
- USS Tawakoni ATF-114. Offers six photos of the Tawakoni, including one of her as the Ta Mo.
- Tawakoni and Castle. From pp. 26–27 of Towline, Summer 2007 edition. Reminiscences of a Tawakoni crewman on his vessel's participation in Operation Castle. Includes large B&W photo of the ship.
- Tawakoni Helps Fishing Vessel. A typical towing operation on the Towakoni, on this occsation involving a civilian fishing boat in Alaskan waters.
