USS Luiseno (ATF-156)

Career (United States)
Name:	USS Luiseno
Builder:	Charleston Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.
Laid down:	7 November 1944
Launched:	17 March 1945
Commissioned:	16 June 1945
Decommissioned:	1 July 1975
Struck:	1 July 1975
Fate:	Transferred to Argentina, 1 July 1975
Career (Argentina)
Name:	ARA Francisco de Curruchaga (A-3)
Fate:	Unknown
General characteristics
Class and type:	Abnaki-class fleet ocean tug
Displacement:	1,205 long tons (1,224 t) light 1,646 long tons (1,672 t) full
Length:	205 ft (62 m)
Beam:	38 ft 6 in (11.73 m)
Draft:	17 ft (5.2 m)
Propulsion:	Diesel-electric 4 × General Motors 12-278A diesel main engines driving 4 × General Electric generators and 3 × General Motors 3-268A auxiliary services engines, single screw
Speed:	16.5 knots (19.0 mph; 30.6 km/h)
Complement:	8 officers, 68 enlisted men
Armament:	• 1 × 3"/50 caliber gun • 2 × twin 40 mm guns • 2 × 20 mm guns • 2 × depth charge tracks

USS Luiseno (ATF-156) was an Abnaki-class fleet ocean tug built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named after the Luiseño peoples (the southernmost division of the Shoshone Indians of California, who received their name from Mission San Luis Rey de Francia, the most important Spanish mission in their territory), she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

Luiseno was laid down 7 November 1944 by the Charleston Shipbuilding & Drydock Company of Charleston, South Carolina; launched 17 March 1945; sponsored by Mrs. William J. Roth, Jr.; and commissioned 16 June 1945 with Lieutenant William O. Talley in command.

Service history

After shakedown, Luiseno operated out of Norfolk, Virginia and Boston before sailing for Florida the 28th of July. For the rest of the year she performed salvage and target towing services in the Florida/Cuba area. During the summer of 1946 the fleet tug made a cruise to Bremerhaven, Germany to tow a 350-ton crane to Cristóbal in the Canal Zone, arriving there 20 September. From 1946 Luiseno performed miscellaneous duties including target towing, salvage operations, and other vital services, along the east coast, in the Caribbean and from her home port, Newport, Rhode Island.

During the Cuban Missile Crisis in October, 1962 she operated out of the Guantanamo Naval Base, ready to perform any duty for which she would be called. Luiseno removed aircraft wreckage from the 1966 Palomares B-52 crash for dumping in the Atlantic.

Despite the lack of fanfare, the accomplishments of this fleet tug contribute significantly to the strength of the world's mightiest fleet. Decommissioned and struck from the Naval Vessel Register 1 July 1975, Luiseno was subsequently transferred to Argentina under terms of the Security Assistance Program and renamed ARA Francisco de Gurruchaga (A-3). Still in service as of 2009.

Luiseno received the Navy Unit Commendation, Navy Expeditionary Medal (2-Cuba), American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Cuba).

References

This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

• "Luiseno". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/l33/luiseno.htm. Retrieved August 3, 2007. 
• "ATF-156 Luiseno". Amphibious Photo Archive. http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/39/39156.htm. Retrieved August 3, 2007. 
• Melson, Lewis B., CAPT USN (June 1967). Contact 261. United States Naval Institute Proceedings.