USS Chowanoc

Tugboat of the United States Navy
Chowanoc (left) towing the decommissioned aircraft carrier USS Philippine Sea circa 1958.
History
United States
NameChowanoc (ATF-100)
BuilderCharleston Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co.
Laid downunknown
Launched20 August 1943
Commissioned21 February 1944
Decommissioned1 October 1977
Stricken1 October 1977
FateTransferred to Ecuador, 1 October 1977
Ecuador
NameBAE Chimborazo (RA-70)
Acquired1 October 1977
StatusIn service as of 2019
General characteristics
Class and typeAbnaki-class fleet ocean tug
Displacement1,240 long tons (1,260 t)
Length205 ft (62 m)
Beam38 ft 6 in (11.73 m)
Draft15 ft 4 in (4.67 m)
Speed16.5 knots (19.0 mph; 30.6 km/h)
Complement85
Armament
  • 1 × 3 in (76 mm) gun
  • 2 × 20 mm guns
Service record
Part of: Pacific Fleet
Commanders: LT. Rodney F. Snipes
Operations:
  • World War II
  • Korean War
  • Vietnam War
Awards:
  • 4 battle stars (World War II)
  • 1 battle star (Korea)
  • 7 battle stars (Vietnam)

USS Chowanoc (ATF-100) was an Abnaki-class of fleet ocean tug. It was named after an Indian tribe of the same name.[1]

Service history

World War 2:

Worked on the Marianas operation, with the Capture and occupation of Saipan from 3 to 10 August 1944. worked on the capture and occupation of Guam from 3 to 15 August 1944. Working on the Luzon operation in the Lingayen Gulf landings from 9 to 18 January 1945. Worked on the Leyte operation in the Leyte landings from 20 to 22 November 1944.

Korean War: Worked in Korean in the 1952 and 1953.

Vietnam War: Worked in the Vietnamese Counteroffensive from 9 to 12 April 1966. Worked in the Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II from 28 July to 1 August 1966. Worked in the Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V from 8 to 10 October 1968. Worked in the Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VI from 10 to 17 November 1968, 29 November to 5 December 1968 and 12 December 1968 to 11 January 1969. Serviced in the Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII from 19 to 22 May 1971, 7 to 23 January 1973 and 21 February to 21 March 1973.

Chowanoc was sold to the Ecuadorian Navy on 1 October 1977 under the Security Assistance Program and renamed BAE Chimborazo (RA-70).

On 2 March 2020, Chimborazo was quarantined for two weeks at Guayaquil South Naval Base after a member of its 50-person crew was discovered to have been in contact with someone infected with COVID-19.[2]

Notable personnel

  • Richard Benjamin Harrison served on the ship from 1972 to 1976.[3]

References

  1. ^ "Fleet Tug (ATF)". www.navsource.org.
  2. ^ "50 tripulantes de un buque de la Armada, en cuarentena por coronavirus". Primicias. 5 March 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  3. ^ "April Fooled". Pawn Stars. Season 8. Episode 49. April 3, 2014. History.
  • v
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Abnaki-class tugs
  • Abnaki
  • Alsea
  • Arikara
  • Chowanoc
  • Cocopa
  • Hidatsa
  • Hitchiti
  • Jicarilla
  • Moctobi
  • Molala
  • Munsee
  • Pakana
  • Potawatomi
  • Quapaw
  • Sarsi
  • Serrano
  • Takelma
  • Tawakoni
  • Tenino
  • Tolowa
  • Wateree
  • Wenatchee
  • Achomawi
  • Atakapa
  • Cahuilla
  • Chimariko
  • Cusabo
  • Luiseno
  • Nipmuc
  • Mosopelea
  • Paiute
  • Papago
  • Salinan
  • Shakori
  • Utina
Other operators
 Argentine Navy
Irigoyen class
  • Comandante General Irigoyen (ex-Cahuilla)
  • Francisco de Gurruchaga (ex-Luiseno)
  • Suboficial Castillo (ex-Takelma)
 Chilean Navy
  • Aldea (ex-Arikara)
  • Janequeo (ex-Potawatomi)
 Colombian National Navy
  • Sebastián De Belalcázar (ex-Jicarilla)
  • Rodrigo de Bastidas (ex-Hidatsa)
 Ecuadorian Navy
  • Chimborazo (ex-Chowanoc)
  • Los Rios / Cayambe (ex-Cusabo)
 Mexican Navy
  • Chac / Cora (ex-Hitchiti)
  • Ehactl / Yaqui (ex-Abnaki)
  • Kukulkan / Otomi (ex-Molala)
  • Seri (ex-Cocopa)
 Republic of China Navy
  • Da Han (ex-Tawakoni)
  • Da Gang (ex-Achomawi)
  • Da Tai (ex-Shakori)
 Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela
  • Felipe Larrazábal (R-11) (ex-Tolowa)
  • Felipe Larrazábal (R-12) (ex-Utina)
  • Antonio Picardi (ex-Nipmuc)
  • Miguel Rodriguez (ex-Salinan)