USS Tawasa

History
United States
Name	USS Tawasa
Builder	Commercial Iron Works, Portland, Oregon
Laid down	7 September 1942
Launched	22 February 1943
Commissioned	17 July 1943
Decommissioned	31 March 1975
Reclassified	ATF-92, 15 May 1944
Stricken	1 April 1975
Honors and awards	3 battle stars (World War II) 2 battle stars (Korea) 7 battle stars (Vietnam)
Fate	Sold for scrapping, 1 August 1976
General characteristics
Class and type	Cherokee-class fleet tug
Displacement	1,235 long tons (1,255 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 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Complement	85
Armament	1 × 3 in (76 mm) gun 2 × twin 40 mm gun mounts 2 × single 20 mm guns

USS Tawasa (AT-92) was a Cherokee-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 and had a very successful career marked by the winning of three battle stars during World War II, two during the Korean War, and seven campaign stars during the Vietnam War.

Tawasa was laid down on 22 June 1942 at Portland, Oregon, by the Commercial Iron Works; launched on 22 February 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Thomas F. Sullivan, mother of the five Sullivan brothers; and commissioned on 17 July 1943.