History | |
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United States | |
Name | USS Pinto |
Builder | Cramp Shipbuilding Co., Philadelphia |
Yard number | 545 |
Laid down | 10 August 1942 |
Launched | 5 January 1943 |
Commissioned | 1 April 1943 |
Decommissioned | 11 July 1946 |
Reclassified | ATF-90, 15 May 1944 |
Stricken | 17 May 1974 |
Identification | AT-90 |
Honors and awards | 3 battle stars & Navy Unit Commendation (World War II) |
Fate | Sold to Peru, 1 May 1974 |
Peru | |
Name | BAP Guardian Rios |
Acquired | 1 May 1974 |
Identification | ARB-123 |
Status | In service |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Navajo-class fleet tug |
Displacement |
|
Length | 205 ft (62 m) |
Beam | 38 ft 6 in (11.73 m) |
Draft | 15 ft 4 in (4.67 m) |
Propulsion |
|
Speed | 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph) |
Complement | 85 |
Armament |
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USS Pinto (AT-90) was a Navajo-class fleet tug constructed for the United States Navy during World War II. Her purpose was to aid ships, usually by towing, on the high seas or in combat or post-combat areas, plus "other duties as assigned." She served in the Atlantic Ocean and, at war's end, returned home with three battle stars to her credit.
Pinto was laid down by the Cramp Shipbuilding Co. of Philadelphia 10 August 1942; launched 5 January 1943; sponsored by Miss Lorna Cook; and commissioned 1 April 1943.
Following shakedown, Pinto served in Service Squadron 1, Service Force, Atlantic Fleet operating on the U.S. East Coast of the United States and at Argentia, Newfoundland until 15 December 1943 when she arrived Long Island Sound to conduct salvage and towing operations for the U.S. Army and Navy Proving Grounds, Davisville, Rhode Island.
On 26 March 1944, Pinto was underway for the European theater of operations, arriving Falmouth, England on 19 April. She was redesignated ATF-90 on 15 May. She arrived off the Normandy invasion coast on 6 June, where she and two other tugs comprised Combat Salvage Unit 122.3.1 which assisted and made emergency repairs to invasion landing craft while under enemy fire. On "D-Day" plus one (7 June 1944), Susan B. Anthony (AP-72) struck a mine, and was left burning and in a sinking condition. Pinto aided in removing 2,200 Army troops plus the Navy crew, while having to cut the lines connecting Pinto and the Susan b. Anthony with axes as the latter was pulling the former down with her, for which she received the Navy Unit Commendation. It holds the Guinness world record for most people saved with no deaths. Pinto remained on station as combat salvage vessel off "Omaha Beach" until 3 July when she returned to England.
She arrived at Oran, Algeria, on 21 July, and joined the assault Force for "Operation Dragoon". On 15 August she arrived off the coast of southern France with task unit TU 85.14.7 and conducted salvage operations under enemy fire until 28 August when she returned to Oran and then the United States.
On 10 November Pinto, with a floating drydock section in tow, got underway for Panama, whence she proceeded across the Pacific to Bora Bora, Society Islands to join the 7th Fleet. Until June 1945 Pinto engaged in towing and salvage operations off New Guinea, the Admiralties, the Philippines and Morotai. On 4 June, Pinto departed Morotai as part of task group TG 76.20 for the amphibious assault on Brunei Bay, British North Borneo. She remained as salvage tug on station in Victoria Harbour until 2 July when she returned to the Philippine Islands for towing assignments.
During autumn Pinto conducted salvage and towing operations between Morotai, Balikpapan, Tarakan and Leyte Gulf. Then in December she got underway for the United States and inactivation.
On 11 July 1946 Pinto was decommissioned and entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, berthed at Orange, Texas. She was transferred, 1 May 1974, cash sale, under the Security Assistance Program, to Peru, and renamed BAP Guardian Rios (ARB-123).
Pinto received the Navy Unit Commendation and also three battle stars for World War II service:
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USS Quapaw (ATF–110/AT-110) was a Abnaki-class fleet ocean tug in the United States Navy. She was named after the Quapaw.
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USS Chickasaw (AT-83/ATF-83) was a Navajo-class fleet tug constructed for the United States Navy during World War II. She served in the Pacific Ocean in World War II and the Korean War, and was awarded six battle stars for World War II and two battle stars during the Korean War.
USS Lipan (AT-85) was a Navajo-class fleet tug constructed for the United States Navy during World War II. Her purpose was to aid ships, usually by towing, on the high seas or in combat or post-combat areas, plus "other duties as assigned." She served in the Pacific Ocean during World War II and the Korean War. She was awarded two battle stars for World War II and four battle stars for the Korean War.
USS Moreno (AT-87) was a Navajo-class fleet tug constructed for the United States Navy during World War II. Her purpose was to aid ships, usually by towing, on the high seas or in combat or post-combat areas, plus "other duties as assigned." She served in the Atlantic Ocean and, at war's end, returned home with three battle stars to her credit.
USS Narragansett (AT-88) was a Navajo-class fleet tug constructed for the United States Navy during World War II. Her purpose was to aid ships, usually by towing, on the high seas or in combat or post-combat areas, plus "other duties as assigned." She served in the Atlantic Ocean and, at war’s end, returned home with three battle stars to her credit.
USS Sonoma (AT-12) was a Sonoma-class fleet tug which had the distinction of serving her country during World War I and World War II. For her work as a tugboat in some very dangerous battle areas, she earned five battle stars during World War II. She ended her battle career when she was sunk by a crashing Japanese bomber.
USS Mahnomen County (LST-912) was an LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Like many of her class, she was not named and is properly referred to by her hull designation. She was later named after Mahnomen County, Minnesota, and was the only US Navy vessel to bear the name.
USS Apache (AT-67/ATF-67) was a Navajo-class fleet tug, later fleet ocean tug, in commission in the United States Navy from 1942 to 1946 and from 1951 to 1974. She saw service in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
USS Sonoma (ATA-175) was a tugboat of the United States Navy, which served during World War II. She was the third Navy ship to bear the name "Sonoma", which is of American-Indian origin, in accordance with the Navy's naming convention for tugs.
The third USS Kiowa (AT-72), later ATF-72, was a fleet tug, later fleet ocean tug, that served in the United States Navy from 1943 to 1972.
USS Avoyel (ATF-150) was a Navajo-class fleet tug built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.
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USS Hidatsa (ATF-102) was Abnaki-class tugboat during the World War II. The ship was later sold to Colombia as ARC Rodrigo de Bastidas (RM-74). Her namesake is an Indian group of the Sioux Tribe of North Dakota, now living on the Fort Berthold Reservation.