USS ATA-217
USS ATA-217 was an ATA-214-class tug of the United States Navy built near the end of World War II. Originally laid down as Tesota (YN-95), a net tender of the Ailanthus class, she was redesignated as AN-71, a net layer, before launch. Before completion, the name Tesota was cancelled and the ship was named ATA-217, an unnamed auxiliary ocean tug.
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| History | |
|---|---|
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| Name | USS Tesota |
| Namesake | The tesota tree |
| Ordered | as YN-95 |
| Builder | Canulette Shipbuilding Co., Slidell, Louisiana |
| Laid down | 11 December 1943 as Tesota (YN-95) |
| Launched | 29 July 1944 |
| Commissioned | 16 January 1945 as USS ATA-217 |
| Decommissioned | 7 May 1946, at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, California |
| Reclassified | AN-71, 20 January 1944; USS ATA-217, 10 August 1944 |
| Stricken | 21 May 1946 |
| Fate | Burned off Mexico, 17 February 1949 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Palo Blanco-class auxiliary fleet tug |
| Displacement | 1,275 tons |
| Length | 194' 6" |
| Beam | 34' 7" |
| Draft | 14' 1" |
| Propulsion | diesel-electric, single screw, 2,500hp |
| Speed | 12.1 knots |
| Complement | 57 officers and enlisted |
| Armament | two single 40 mm AA gun mounts |
Career
ATA-217 was laid down as the net tender Tesota (YN-95) on 11 December 1943 at Slidell, Louisiana, by the Canulette Shipbuilding Company; was reclassified a net laying ship and redesignated AN-71 on 20 January 1944; and was launched on 29 July 1944. However, the name Tesota was canceled on 10 August 1944, and the ship was reclassified an auxiliary ocean tug and re-designated ATA-217 on the same day. She was commissioned on 16 January 1945. Following a short shakedown cruise early in February 1945, the tug departed Norfolk, Virginia, for Hawaii and arrived at her home port, Pearl Harbor, on 1 March. After serving there for more than a year, the ship proceeded to the U.S. West Coast.
ATA-217 was decommissioned at Mare Island, California, on 7 May, and was struck from the Navy List on 21 May 1946. ATA-217 was transferred to the U.S. Maritime Commission on 25 March 1947 and was sold the same day to Martinolick Shipbuilding Co., San Francisco, California.
References
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
- NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive - YN-95 / AN-71 'Tesota - ATA-217
