USS ''Penobscot'' (ATA-188/ATR–115) -- a ''Sotoyomo''-class auxiliary fleet tug—was originally placed in service by the U.S. Navy as USS ''ATA–188'' until she was renamed USS ''Penobscot'' (ATA-188) 16 July 1948. She served in the Pacific Ocean during World War II, and on the

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after the war’s end. She was finally decommissioned in 1971.

Built in Orange, Texas

The third ship to be so named by the U.S. Navy, ''Penobscot'' (ATA–188), an auxiliary ocean tug, was laid down as ATR–115 by

Levingston Shipbuilding Company Levingston Shipbuilding Company was a shipbuilding company at Orange, Texas on the Sabine River founded by George Levingston. During World War II Levingston Shipbuilding Company built ships for the United States Naval Station Orange also on th ...

, Orange, Texas, 11 September 1944; launched 12 October; and placed in service 12 December.

World War II service

Following

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''Penobscot'' was designated for duty in the Far East. Assigned homeyard at Pearl Harbor, she provided extensive advanced base towing services and called at numerous islands as events in the march towards victory in the Pacific reached a crescendo. With the end of hostilities, the ocean tug operated for a short time out of

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ports.

Post-war service

In April 1946 ''Penobscot'' returned to home waters and was assigned to the

3rd Naval District The naval district was a U.S. Navy military and administrative command ashore. Apart from Naval District Washington, the Districts were disestablished and renamed Navy Regions about 1999, and are now under Commander, Naval Installations Command ...

. From this point she commenced a lengthy career of east coast towing operations. As a 3rd Naval District ship homeported at New York City and berthed at the Naval Supply Center,

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, she spent an average of half of each year away from home port, ranging from Maine to the

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Islands. In addition to towing assignments, ''Penobscot'' conducted torpedo and naval mine recovery operations, and provided a wide range of services to ships of the Fleet. One demonstration of her operational flexibility occurred in May 1967 when she assisted USNS Mission Capistrano in oceanographic research off Bermuda. In July 1967 she shifted from the 3rd Naval District List to the Service Force, Atlantic Fleet. After overhaul at Coastal Shipyard and Drydock Company, Staten Island, New York, that autumn, ''Penobscot'' resumed her multifarious tasks, nearly every aspect of which involves the rendering of service to the Fleet.

Decommissioning

After being decommissioned in 1971, she was laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet and was sold after being struck from the Navy List 28 February 1975. As of 2014 she was in commercial service under then name ''American Lady''.

References

*
NavSource Online: USS Penobscot (ATA-188) – ex - USS ATA-188 (1944 - 1948)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Penobscot World War II auxiliary ships of the United States Sotoyomo-class tugs Ships built in Orange, Texas 1944 ships