USS Tinian (CVE-123) was a of the United States Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

.

She was laid down on 20 March 1945 at Tacoma, Washington, by Todd-Pacific Shipyards, Inc.; launched on 05 September 1945; sponsored by Miss Grace L Woods; and accepted by the US Navy on 30 July 1946.

Never commissioned, the escort aircraft carrier

Escort aircraft carrier

The escort aircraft carrier or escort carrier, also called a "jeep carrier" or "baby flattop" in the USN or "Woolworth Carrier" by the Royal Navy, was a small and slow type of aircraft carrier used by the British Royal Navy , the Imperial Japanese Navy and Imperial Japanese Army Air Force, and the...

 was assigned to the Pacific Reserve Fleet, 19th Fleet, at Tacoma, Washington. On 12 June 1955, the ship was reclassified as an escort helicopter

Helicopter

A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...

 aircraft carrier

Aircraft carrier

An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...

 and re-designated CVHE-123. In early June 1958 Tinian was taken in tow at Tacoma, Washington, by the US Navy MSTS

MSTS

MSTS may refer to:* Military Sea Transportation Service, the pre-1970 name for the Military Sealift Command of the U.S. Navy* A shorthand name for:** Microsoft Train Simulator ** Microsoft Train Simulator 2...

 tugboat USNS Yuma (T-AF94)

USS Yuma (AT-94)

USS Yuma was a constructed for the United States Navy during World War II. She was the second U.S. Navy ship named for the Yuma tribe of Arizona....

, destined for San Diego California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

. Whilst very near the Swiftsure Bank lightship

Lightship

Lightship may refer to:* Lightvessel, a permanently moored ship that has light beacons mounted as navigational aids* Light displacement, a displacement figure that measures a ship complete in all respects, but without consumables, stores, cargo, crew, and effects*Lightship, a type of blimp operated...

, Neah Bay, Washington; at the entrance of the Strait of Juan de Fuca

Strait of Juan de Fuca

The Strait of Juan de Fuca is a large body of water about long that is the Salish Sea outlet to the Pacific Ocean...

, USNS Yuma (T-AF94)

USS Yuma (AT-94)

USS Yuma was a constructed for the United States Navy during World War II. She was the second U.S. Navy ship named for the Yuma tribe of Arizona....

developed engine troubles. Yuma's distress call brought the USCGC Fir (WLM-212)

USCGC Fir (WLM-212)

The United States Coast Guard Cutter Fir was the last lighthouse tender built specifically for the United States Lighthouse Service to resupply lighthouses and lightships, and to service buoys. Fir was built by the Moore Drydock Company in Oakland, California in 1939. On 22 March 1939, the U.S....

to her rescue. The crew of the Swiftsure lightship went to general quarters

General quarters

General Quarters or Battle Stations is an announcement made aboard a naval warship to signal the crew to prepare for battle or imminent damage....

, ready to assist. USCGC Fir (WLM-212)

USCGC Fir (WLM-212)

The United States Coast Guard Cutter Fir was the last lighthouse tender built specifically for the United States Lighthouse Service to resupply lighthouses and lightships, and to service buoys. Fir was built by the Moore Drydock Company in Oakland, California in 1939. On 22 March 1939, the U.S....

then escorted Yuma and Tinian to safety. On 09 June 1958, Tinian arrived at San Diego, under tow by USNS Yuma (T-AF94)

USS Yuma (AT-94)

USS Yuma was a constructed for the United States Navy during World War II. She was the second U.S. Navy ship named for the Yuma tribe of Arizona....

, and was berthed at South Tee Pier. In May 1959, she was again reclassified, this time as a cargo ship

Cargo ship

A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...

 and aircraft ferry, AKV-23.

Tinian remained with the San Diego Group of the Reserve Fleet

Reserve fleet

A reserve fleet is a collection of naval vessels of all types that are fully equipped for service but are not currently needed, and thus partially or fully decommissioned. A reserve fleet is informally said to be "in mothballs" or "mothballed"; an equivalent expression in unofficial modern U.S....

 until 1 June 1970 when she was struck from the list. Her hulk

Hulk (ship)

A hulk is a ship that is afloat, but incapable of going to sea. Although sometimes used to describe a ship that has been launched but not completed, the term most often refers to an old ship that has had its rigging or internal equipment removed, retaining only its flotational qualities...

 was sold to Levin Metals Company, San Jose California, on 15 December 1971 for scrap.