USS Choctaw (AT-70)

USS Choctaw (ATF-70) underway, date and location unknown.
History
United States
Name	USS Choctaw
Namesake	Choctaw
Builder	Charleston Shipbuilding and Drydock Co.
Laid down	4 April 1942
Launched	18 October 1942
Sponsored by	Mrs. L. Cordell
Commissioned	21 April 1943
Decommissioned	11 March 1947
Reclassified	Fleet ocean tug 15 May 1944
Stricken	31 October 1977
Identification	AT-70 ATF-70
Fate	Transferred, to Colombia under the Security Assistance Program 1 March 1978, renamed ARC Pedro De Heredia (RM-72)
General characteristics
Class and type	Navajo-class fleet tug
Displacement	1,240 long tons (1,260 t)
Length	205 ft (62 m)
Beam	38 ft 6 in (11.73 m)
Draft	15 ft 4 in (4.67 m)
Propulsion	Diesel-electric four General Motors 12-278A diesel main engines driving four General Electric generators and three General Motors 3-268A auxiliary services engines single screw 3,600 shp (2,685 kW)
Speed	16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph)
Complement	85
Armament	1 × 3 in (76 mm) gun 2 × single 40 mm AA guns 2 × single 20 mm guns AA guns

USS Choctaw (AT-70) was a Navajo-class fleet tug constructed for the United States Navy during World War II.^[1] 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 Bermuda during the end of World War II where she was primarily responsible to aiding in the assembly of convoys and ships taking part in training. On 15 May 1944, she was redesignated ATF-70. She continued to serve for 3 more years before being decommissioned on 11 March 1947.