USS Nashawena (AG-142)

Career (USA)
Name:	USS Nashawena
Namesake:	An island off the coast of Massachusetts
Builder:	Seattle Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Corporation, Seattle, Washington
Laid down:	1944
Completed:	as USASPB Col. William. A. Glassford a wooden-hulled self-propelled barge (BSP)
Acquired:	from the U.S. Army, 20 June 1947
Commissioned:	20 June 1947 as USS Nashawena (AG-142)
Decommissioned:	17 August 1953, at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, California
Reclassified:	YAG-35, 9 September 1947
Struck:	date unknown
Homeport:	Mare Island, California
Fate:	sold, 1 June 1960, renamed Omega; fate unknown
General characteristics
Type:	cable layer
Tonnage:	602 tons
Length:	154'
Beam:	36'
Draft:	6'
Propulsion:	system unknown
Speed:	10 knots
Complement:	29 officers and enlisted
Armament:	not known

USS Nashawena (AG-142/YAG-35) was a U.S. Navy cable layer. She was constructed during World War II for the U.S. Army Signal Corps as USASPB Col. William. A. Glassford, a wooden-hulled self-propelled barge. She was transferred to the U.S. Navy in 1947 as a miscellaneous auxiliary and assigned to cable-laying duties for the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Constructed in Seattle, Washington

Nashawena, a cable ship built in 1944 by the Seattle Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Corp., Seattle, Washington, was operated by the U.S. Army as Col. Wm. A. Glassford until transferred to the U.S. Navy 20 June 1947; and commissioned as Nashawena (AG–142) the same day, Lt. William K. Bickenbach in command.

Cable service on the U.S. West Coast

Nashawena soon commenced cable laying and tending services in the 12th Naval District and in the 14th Naval District for the U.S. Naval Electronics Laboratory. Reclassified YAG–35, 9 September 1947, she continued to provide communications maintenance until decommissioned at Mare Island, her homeport 17 August 1953.

In-service at Treasure Island

She was then turned over to the Naval Station, Treasure Island, California, where she operated briefly with the status “in service” before entering the Pacific Reserve Fleet at the end of the year.

Nashawena was sold to Anthony Zahardis, 1 June 1960, towed from Treasure Island, 3 July, and subsequently struck from the Naval Register. She was renamed Omega and was used by the U.S. Undersea Cable Corporation for cable laying work.

See also

• United States Navy
• World War II

References

• This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
• USS Nashawena (YAG-35) – ex - USS Nashawena (AG-142) (1947 - 1952) - USASPB COL. William Al Glassford (1944 - 1947)