View source for USS Quapaw

{{short description|Tugboat of the United States Navy}}

{{Use American English|date=October 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=USS Quapaw (ATF-110).jpg
|Ship caption=
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{USN flag|1985}}
|Ship name=USS ''Quapaw''
|Ship namesake=[[Quapaw]]
|Ship builder=*[[United Engineering Co.]]
*[[Alameda, California]]
|Ship laid down=28 December 1942
|Ship launched=15 May 1943
|Ship sponsor=Mrs. N. Lehman
|Ship commissioned=6 May 1944
|Ship reclassified=ATF–110, 15 May 1944
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=yes
|Ship decommissioned=30 April 1948
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=yes
|Ship recommissioned=5 December 1950
|Ship decommissioned=30 August 1985
|Ship struck=28 January 1992
|Ship fate=Sank as a result of neglect, 11 December 2011; scrapped 2012
|Ship honors=*4 [[battle star]]s, [[World War II]]
*5 battle stars, [[Korean War]]
*7 battle stars, [[Vietnam War]]
|Ship homeport=1970: [[Pearl Harbor]]
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Ship class={{sclass|Abnaki|fleet ocean tug}}
|Ship displacement=1,646&nbsp;tons
|Ship length={{convert|205|ft|m|2|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|38|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draft={{convert|15|ft|3|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship speed={{convert|16|kn|km/h}}
|Ship complement=85
|Ship armament=*1 × [[3"/50 caliber gun]]
*4 × [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|40 mm]] [[Anti-aircraft warfare|AA]] guns
}}
|}
'''USS ''Quapaw'' (ATF–110/AT-110)''' was a {{sclass|Abnaki|fleet ocean tug}} in the [[United States Navy]]. She was named after the [[Quapaw]].

''Quapaw'' was laid down by [[United Engineering Co.]], [[Alameda, California]], 28 December 1942; launched 15 May 1943; sponsored by Mrs. N. Lehman; and commissioned 6 May 1944. She was redesignated '''ATF–110''' on 15 May 1944.

==Operational history==

=== World War II Pacific operations===
''Quapaw'' steamed for [[San Francisco]] after shakedown out of [[San Pedro, Los Angeles|San Pedro]] and [[San Diego]], California, through 16 June. She departed San Francisco 21 June 1944, en route to the [[Admiralty Islands]]. After calling at [[Honolulu]], where she delivered an Army barge, a dump scow, and a derrick, she steamed 12 July via the [[Ellice Islands]] and [[Milne Bay]], [[New Guinea]], arriving [[Manus Island|Manus]], Admiralty Islands 14 August.

Following several harbor tow assignments, she departed 17 August with a deck cargo of 7,500 bbls. of aviation gasoline and 49 motor torpedo boat engines, and with a gasoline barge in tow. These she delivered to [[Mios Woendi]] Lagoon, whence she steamed to [[Maffin Bay]] where she received orders to stand by in preparation for the landings on [[Morotai Island]].

With a convoy of [[liberty ship]]s, minesweepers, and landing craft, together with screening destroyers, ''Quapaw'' entered [[Morotai]] Harbor the morning of 16 September 1944. She remained through 1 October, primarily engaged in retracting [[Landing Ship, Tank|LST]]s from the beach of [[Pitoe Bay]].

====Supporting Leyte Gulf operations====
From 20 October 1944 through 1 January 1945, ''Quapaw'' was operating in [[San Pedro Bay (Philippines)|San Pedro Bay]] in support of the Leyte operation. Her assignments entailed salvage, firefighting, and towing operations.

On 6 December 1944, ''Quapaw'' stood by [[Liberty ship]] {{SS|Antoine Saugrain}} after that ship had been torpedoed the previous day.<ref name=USNChron1944>{{cite book | url = https://archive.org/details/TheOfficialChronologyOfTheUSNavyInWorldWarII | title = The official chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II | chapter = Chapter VI: 1944 | chapter-url = http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/USN-Chron/USN-Chron-1944.html | first = Robert | last = Cressman | location = Annapolis, Maryland | publisher = Naval Institute Press | year = 2000 | isbn = 978-1-55750-149-3 | oclc = 41977179 | access-date = 2007-12-06 | url-access = registration }}</ref>

Landings were made at [[Invasion of Lingayen Gulf|Lingayen]] 9 January 1945 and ''Quapaw'' was assigned patrol of both attack areas to render all necessary assistance. She retracted landing ships, made repairs and conducted towing operations until 21 February. She then steamed to [[Mindoro]]. She departed [[Mangarin Bay]] 26 February as a unit of Admiral W. M. Fechteler's [[task force|task group]] TG&nbsp;78.2, en route to [[Puerto Princesa]], [[Palawan]], for initial assaults against that island. En route, ''Quapaw'' took {{USS|LCI-683||2}} in tow when the latter was unable to maintain convoy speed. The landing forces went ashore 28 February and ''Quapaw'' retracted landing craft from the beaches east of Puerto Princesa and in the vicinity of the city jetty. She returned to Mangarin Bay, 5 March.

From 8 through 25 March ''Quapaw'' participated in salvage and demolition work, and assisted in clearing harbor wreckage, with intervening repair and tow missions at [[Zamboanga City|Zamboanga]], [[Mindanao]], [[Philippines]]. Further salvage, tow, and repair missions preceded overhaul at [[Jayapura|Hollandia]], New Guinea, commencing 29 May. The tug departed 25 June for [[Espiritu Santo]], [[New Hebrides]], from where she steamed 6 July with one section of a [[battleship]] [[drydock]] in tow for [[Samar]], Philippines. With the end of hostilities she continued towing services between various ports of the [[Philippines]], with frequent service to Manus and back through 28 April 1946.

====Return to Stateside====
''Quapaw'' departed [[Subic Bay]] for the United States 16 June 1946, arriving [[San Francisco]], California. 14 July. After overhaul at [[Mare Island Naval Shipyard]], the tug continued coastal and trans-Pacific towing operations until 21 December 1947.

She was placed in an inactive status at San Francisco until 30 April 1948 when she was placed out of commission, in reserve.

===Korean War===
''Quapaw'' recommissioned 5 December 1950 at Alameda, California. After refresher training out of San Diego through January 1951, she steamed via [[Bremerton, Washington]], with a barracks ship in tow for [[Pearl Harbor]]. Arriving 14 February 1951, she commenced operations under Commander Service Force, Pacific.

The fleet tug provided services at [[Inchon, Korea]] 30 April – 17 July 1951, and at [[Wonsan]] 19 July – 3 August. Towing services at [[Sasebo]] and [[Yokosuka]], Japan were interrupted by patrol duty at Wonsan, [[Korea]] 26 October – 20 November 1952, and by operation in the areas of [[Cho Do]] and [[Taechong Do]], Korea 17 January – 14 February 1953. ''Quapaw'' also conducted patrols in Korean waters in March and April 1953.

[[File:USS-Moctobi-and-Quapaw.jpg|thumb|280px|USS ''Quapaw'' (''Tiger'') with USS ''Moctobi'' (''Lion'') at Richmond Shipyards, California in April, 2011]]

===Vietnam War and beyond===
As of 1970, ''Quapaw'' continued to provide services to the Fleet out of her homeport of Pearl Harbor. Annual WestPac deployments were interspersed with assignments throughout mid-Pacific areas, as well as by occasional duty as search and rescue vessel out of [[Adak, Alaska]].

During the 1980s until her decommissioning in 1985, ''Quapaw'' was home ported at the Port Hueneme Naval CBC in Port Hueneme, California providing salvage, rescue and towing services.

'''Some post-Vietnam operations/achievements included:'''

Towing of the {{USS|New Jersey |BB-62}} from [[Puget Sound Naval Shipyard]] to [[Long Beach Naval Shipyard]] prior to her final recommissioning in 1982.

Provided tow escort and support for the towing of {{USS|Missouri |BB-63}} from [[Puget Sound Naval Shipyard]] to [[Long Beach Naval Shipyard]] prior to her final recommissioning in 1984.

Towing of the {{USS|Nautilus |SSN-571}} from [[Mare Island Naval Shipyard]] to the Panama Canal where the Nautilus was picked up by another tug to be brought to Groton, CT in 1984–85. {{Citation needed span|text=This set a record for the longest open-ocean tow of a submarine.|date=February 2011}}

{{Citation needed span|text=''USS Quapaw'' was the first US Navy afloat command to have a female Executive Officer (LTJG Susan Cowan). 1985.|date=February 2011}}

==Decommissioning and sale==
Following Congressional approval in 1996 for transfer to the [[Northeast Wisconsin Railroad Transportation Commission]], she was handed over on 29 December 1997 to the [[Ontonagon County, Michigan|Ontonagon County Economic Development Corporation]] on behalf of the [[Escanaba and Lake Superior Railroad]], along with five other obsolete sister tugs.<ref>{{cite web |title=National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997, Sec.1023 |url=https://www.congress.gov/104/plaws/publ201/PLAW-104publ201.pdf |website=US Congress |access-date=2 March 2019 |location=Washington DC |page=216 (pdf)}}</ref> They were intended for a new trans-Lake Superior freight car barge service between Ontonagon and [[Thunder Bay]], Ontario,<ref name="IDG">{{cite news |last1=Tucker |first1=Jan |title=Tug-barge project given up for dead |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/ironwood-daily-globe-oct-14-1999-p-1/ |access-date=2 March 2019 |work=Ironwood Daily Globe |date=14 October 1999}}</ref> though it has been suggested that the company sought the tug's four General Motors engines (24 in all) to use in their locomotives.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Roberts |first1=Stephen S. |title=Class: Achowami |url=http://www.shipscribe.com/usnaux/ATF/ATF148.html |website=Shipscribe: Data on U.S. Naval Auxiliary Ships |access-date=2 March 2019 |date=17 May 2011}}</ref> The project was abandoned in October 1999, shortly before title would have passed to the railroad company.<ref name="IDG" /> ''Quapaw'' remained in lay-up between 1997 and 1999.

On 11 December 2011, ''Quapaw'' (having been renamed ''Tiger'' after being sold to a private interest) sank pierside while being prepared for transfer to a salvage yard for scrapping.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/39/39110.htm|title = Fleet Tug (ATF)}}</ref>

==Honors and awards==
''Quapaw'' received four [[battle star]]s for [[World War II]] service, five for the [[Korean War]], and seven for the [[Vietnam War]].

Ribbons, Medals and Awards:<br />
[[Navy Unit Commendation]], [[Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation]], [[Navy "E" Ribbon]], [[American Campaign Medal]], [[Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal]] (4 stars), [[World War II Victory Medal]], [[National Defense Service Medal]] (2 stars), [[Korean Service Medal]] (5 stars), [[Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal]] (1 star-Korea, 1 star-Op. Frequent Wind), [[Vietnam Service Medal]] (7 stars), [[Humanitarian Service Medal]] (1 star-Frequent Wind), [[Philippine Liberation Medal]], [[United Nations Service Medal]], [[Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal]], [[Republic of Korea War Service Medal]] (retroactive)

==Legacy==
In 2006, ''Quapaw'' figured in a widely circulated [[chain e-mail]] that claimed that a sailor stationed aboard had snapped pictures of the [[Attack on Pearl Harbor]] on a [[Kodak]] [[Brownie (camera)|Brownie camera]], which remained undiscovered until very recently. In addition to the fact that ''Quapaw'' was not launched for another 18 months, the pictures typically circulated with the e-mail were taken from several different locations – and unlikely to have been taken by one individual. Most are well known archival photos from the attack, and all had been previously published.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.snopes.com/photos/military/pearlharbor.asp | title = Pearl Harbor | work = Urban Legends Reference Pages | date = 20 November 2006 | access-date = 2007-12-06 }}</ref>

An anchor from the USS Quapaw is displayed in a tribal museum in [[Quapaw, Oklahoma|Quapaw]], Okla.<ref name=JoplinGlobe2015 /> It is the only part of ''Quapaw'' that was preserved by a member of USS Quapaw Association after the ship was dismantled in 2012.<ref name=JoplinGlobe2015>{{cite news|last1=Okeson|first1=Sarah|title=Their story: Museum tells history of Quapaw people|url=http://www.joplinglobe.com/opinion/columns/their-story-museum-tells-history-of-quapaw-people/article_a07de14a-4eb6-59b0-8bdd-175a7def148e.html|publisher=The Joplin Globe|date=24 May 2015}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Refbegin}}
* {{DANFS|https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/q/quapaw.html}}
* {{cite web | first = Gary P. | last = Priolo | url = http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/39/39110.htm | title = AT-110 / ATF-110 Quapaw | work = NavSource Online | publisher = NavSource Naval History | date = 2 March 2007 | access-date = 2007-12-06 }}
{{Refend}}

==External links==
* {{navsource|09/39/39110|Quapaw}}
* [http://www.ussquapaw.com/ USS ''Quapaw'' ATF-110] History of the ship from a person who served aboard her

{{Abnaki class fleet ocean tug}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Quapaw (At-110)}}
[[Category:Abnaki-class tugs]]
[[Category:World War II auxiliary ships of the United States]]
[[Category:Cold War auxiliary ships of the United States]]
[[Category:Vietnam War auxiliary ships of the United States]]
[[Category:Ships built in Alameda, California]]
[[Category:1943 ships]]