Tenino ATF-115

Tenino
(ATF-115: dp. 1,589; 1. 205'; b. 38'6"; dr. 16'4";
s. 16.5 k.; cpl. 85; a. 1 3", 2 40mm.; cl. Abnaki)

Tenino (AT-115) was laid down on 16 June 1943 at Alameda, Calif., by the United Engineering Co.; launched on 10 January 1944; sponsored by Mrs. William Mark; redesignated as ATF-115 on 16 May 1944; and commissioned on 18 November 1944, Lt. Forrest L. Van Camp in command.

Tenino held her shakedown cruise in the San Pedro Bay area until 30 December 1944 when she proceeded to San Diego to load salvage equipment. The next day, the tug got underway for Clipperton Island, off the coast of Mexico, to salvage two Navy ships that were aground there. She arrived on the scene on 4 January 1945 and began salvage operations for Seize (ARS-26) which was stranded in the vicinity of LST568. Work continued until the 15th when Seize was pulled clear of the beach. Tenino started to work on the LST the next day. On 30 January, she lost all of her salvage gear when her No. 3 starboard set of bitts was torn away from her bulwarks. Water poured into the engine room through the openings left by the bitts and the holes around loosened rivets. The tug then proceeded to the lee side of Clipperton Island to effect damage control measures. On 1 February, Tenino embarked several patients from the salvage group and headed for Magdalena Bay. The next day, her orders were changed, and she proceeded to Socorro Island where she transferred the patients to a plane on the 3d. The ship arrived at San Diego on the 5th and moved to the Naval Repair Base the next day. On the 9th she shifted berths to the Concrete Shipbuilding Co. National City, for final repairs.

Tenino departed San Diego on 24 February for San Francisco where she took Windsor (ARD-22) in tow for delivery to Hawaii. She delivered the floating drydock to Pearl Harbor on 16 March and began towing YM-21 toward Guam on 5 April. The tug arrived at Apra Harbor on 6 May and six days later, headed for Okinawa towing a floating drydock. She reached Buckner Bay on 20 May and served there as an emergency ship until 28 August. In this capacity, Tenino engaged in salvage, fire-fighting, and diving operations; performed rescue work, and towed battle casualties.

From 22 July to 7 August, Tenino labored to salvage torpedoed attack transport Marathon (APA-200). On 12 August, she aided the torpedoed Pennsylvania (BB 38). On the 30th, she and Serrano (ATF-112) took the battleship in tow and headed for the Marianas. They arrived at Apra Harbor, Guam, on 6 September and Tenino had her engines overhauled there before returning to Okinawa on 25 September. Four days later, the tug stood by to assist endangered ships during a typhoon period. After aiding several ships, Tenino found herself fast aground on 9 October. Bannock (ATF-81) and Menominee (AT-73) pulled her free of the reef on the 11th, and she was repaired in ARD-17. Tenino continued operating at Okinawa until 19 January 1946 when she got underway for the Philippines with Flagler (AKA-181) in tow. Upon delivering that attack cargo ship at Subic Bay, the tug headed back toward the Ryukyus and reached Okinawa on 8 February.

Five days later, she proceeded to the Marshalls. After touching at Saipan and Peleliu, she reached Eniwetok on 27 March but stood out to sea again the next day to retrieve the former Japanese cruiser Sakawa which was adrift and out of fuel. The tug returned to Eniwetok on the 31st. A week later, the tug headed for the west coast of the United States.

Tenino reached San Pedro on 24 May and remained there until 11 September when she got underway for the east coast. She arrived at Norfolk on 30 October and was routed via Charleston, S.C., to Orange, Tex. On 18 November 1946, the tug moved to New Orleans for a preinactivation overhaul which lasted until 8 February 1947. Tenino returned to Orange on 10 February and was assigned to the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. She was placed out of commission, in reserve, on 17 May 1947 and transferred to the Maritime Administration in September 1961. Tenino was struck from the Navy list in September 1962.

Tenino received one battle star for World War II service.