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USS Keosanqua (AT-38)
Encyclopedia
The first USS Keosanqua (AT-38) was launched 26 February 1920 by Staten Island Shipbuilding Company, Port Richmond, New York; and commissioned 9 December 1920 at New York Navy Yard, Lt. (j.g.) G. F. Coulson in command.
Departing New York on 2 February 1921, Keosanqua sailed for Hawaii via Charleston, the Panama Canal
, and San Diego. Arriving Pearl Harbor on 16 April 1921, the tug
was based at the Navy Yard there, towing ships and targets until she decommissioned on 8 June 1922.
Keosanqua recommissioned at Pearl Harbor
on 1 July 1934, Lt. (j.g.) H. O. Parish in command. During the remainder of 1934, she operated with Submarine Squadron 4 (SubRon
4), towing targets and retrieving torpedoes; she provided similar services for SubRon 9 the following year. Duty with submarines continued until January 1938, when she commenced towing operations with the Pacific Fleet, participating in joint Army-Navy maneuvers off Oahu
during May 1939. She was assigned to the Navy Yard, Pearl Harbor, on 29 January 1940 for harbor tug duty.
On 7 December 1941, Keosanqua was taking over a tow from southwest of the entrance to Pearl Harbor when the infamous Japanese raid
began. Attacked by enemy planes which bombed and strafed the ship, she promptly opened fire with her machine guns. During the attack, she coolly completed the transfer of the tow and proceeded to Honolulu unharmed. After the raid, she operated as a salvage tug
, swept for mines, and searched for enemy submarines. She departed on 21 December 1943 for towing duty in the central Pacific.
Assigned to ServRon
4, she arrived Funafuti
, Ellice Islands, on 4 January 1944 for harbor duty. Proceeding in convoy en route to the Marshalls
on 28 February, she reached Kwajalein
on 8 March and joined ServRon 10 on 17 March; then departed on 1 April for Eniwetok with a barge of aviation gasoline in tow. She arrived on 4 April and commenced operations as harbor
tug, station ship, and harbor pilot-training ship.
Redesignated ATO-38 on 15 May, she operated out of Eniwetok until 25 November 1945, and then proceeded via Kwajalein
, Johnston Island, and Pearl Harbor for the West Coast, arriving San Francisco on 24 December for towing duty along the California coast. Keosanqua sailed for Seattle on 25 February 1946; and, arriving Blake Island
on 1 March, she decommissioned on 6 May. Her name was struck from the Navy List on 7 February 1947.
Transferred to the Maritime Commission on 11 July 1947 for disposal, she was sold the same day to Puget Sound Tug & Barge Co., Seattle, Wash. Resold to a Canadian shipping firm in 1948, she was renamed Edward J. Coyle. In 1960, she was renamed Commodore Straits.
Departing New York on 2 February 1921, Keosanqua sailed for Hawaii via Charleston, the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
, and San Diego. Arriving Pearl Harbor on 16 April 1921, the tug
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...
was based at the Navy Yard there, towing ships and targets until she decommissioned on 8 June 1922.
Keosanqua recommissioned at Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
on 1 July 1934, Lt. (j.g.) H. O. Parish in command. During the remainder of 1934, she operated with Submarine Squadron 4 (SubRon
SUBRON
SUBRON is the United States Navy abbreviation for Submarine Squadron. A SUBRON usually consists of three or more submarines. It is the submarine force equivalent to a Destroyer Squadron or DESRON in the surface Navy...
4), towing targets and retrieving torpedoes; she provided similar services for SubRon 9 the following year. Duty with submarines continued until January 1938, when she commenced towing operations with the Pacific Fleet, participating in joint Army-Navy maneuvers off Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
during May 1939. She was assigned to the Navy Yard, Pearl Harbor, on 29 January 1940 for harbor tug duty.
On 7 December 1941, Keosanqua was taking over a tow from southwest of the entrance to Pearl Harbor when the infamous Japanese raid
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
began. Attacked by enemy planes which bombed and strafed the ship, she promptly opened fire with her machine guns. During the attack, she coolly completed the transfer of the tow and proceeded to Honolulu unharmed. After the raid, she operated as a salvage tug
Salvage tug
A salvage tug is a specialized type of tugboat which is used to rescue or marine salvage ships which are in distress or in danger of sinking, or which have already sunk or run aground....
, swept for mines, and searched for enemy submarines. She departed on 21 December 1943 for towing duty in the central Pacific.
Assigned to ServRon
ServRon
A ServRon is a standard United States Navy abbreviation for "Service Squadron."A Service Squadron was a squadron of U.S. Navy ships that served the fleet. The squadron included ships such as tankers, oilers, refrigerator ships, ammunition ships, supply ships, repair ships, and the like...
4, she arrived Funafuti
Funafuti
Funafuti is an atoll that forms the capital of the island nation of Tuvalu. It has a population of 4,492 , making it the most populated atoll in the country. It is a narrow sweep of land between 20 and 400 metres wide, encircling a large lagoon 18 km long and 14 km wide, with a surface of...
, Ellice Islands, on 4 January 1944 for harbor duty. Proceeding in convoy en route to the Marshalls
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
on 28 February, she reached Kwajalein
Kwajalein
Kwajalein Atoll , is part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands . The southernmost and largest island in the atoll is named Kwajalein Island. English-speaking residents of the U.S...
on 8 March and joined ServRon 10 on 17 March; then departed on 1 April for Eniwetok with a barge of aviation gasoline in tow. She arrived on 4 April and commenced operations as harbor
Harbor
A harbor or harbour , or haven, is a place where ships, boats, and barges can seek shelter from stormy weather, or else are stored for future use. Harbors can be natural or artificial...
tug, station ship, and harbor pilot-training ship.
Redesignated ATO-38 on 15 May, she operated out of Eniwetok until 25 November 1945, and then proceeded via Kwajalein
Kwajalein
Kwajalein Atoll , is part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands . The southernmost and largest island in the atoll is named Kwajalein Island. English-speaking residents of the U.S...
, Johnston Island, and Pearl Harbor for the West Coast, arriving San Francisco on 24 December for towing duty along the California coast. Keosanqua sailed for Seattle on 25 February 1946; and, arriving Blake Island
Blake Island
Blake Island is an island in Washington state in the United States. It lies in the middle of Puget Sound, north of Vashon Island, south of Bainbridge Island and east of Manchester....
on 1 March, she decommissioned on 6 May. Her name was struck from the Navy List on 7 February 1947.
Transferred to the Maritime Commission on 11 July 1947 for disposal, she was sold the same day to Puget Sound Tug & Barge Co., Seattle, Wash. Resold to a Canadian shipping firm in 1948, she was renamed Edward J. Coyle. In 1960, she was renamed Commodore Straits.
External links
- Photo gallery at navsource.org