USS Pawnee (ATF-74)

USS Pawnee (AT-74/ATF-74) was a Navajo-class fleet tug in the United States Navy.

Pawnee was laid down on 23 October 1941 by the United Engineering Company, Alameda, California; launched on 31 March 1942; sponsored by Mrs. Virginia Stiegler; and commissioned on 7 November 1942, Lt. (j.g.) Frank C. Dilworth in command.

Service history
After Pacific coast shakedown Pawnee was assigned to Service Force, Pacific. In December 1942, she steamed for Pearl Harbor and commenced towing operations. She stood out of Pearl Harbor in early January, steamed for the forward Pacific area with ARD–5 in tow, and reported to ComSoPac for duty the 29th at Espiritu Santo.

Pawnee operated in the Solomons from June through August 1943, providing towing services at New Georgia and Rendova. She next provided services at Vella Lavella until October. Other operations took her to the Western Carolines as well as to Okinawa, Leyte, and Luzon. She was reclassified as ATF–74 on 15 May 1944.

She served with the Naval Occupation Forces in the Philippines from 28 September 1945 until 24 February 1946, when she sailed to Pearl Harbor. In January 1947 she decommissioned and entered the Columbia River Group of the Pacific Reserve Fleet. Pawnee was struck from the Navy List on 1 September 1962 and placed in the Maritime Reserve Fleet, Olympia, Washington, where she remained into 1971.

Pawnee was sold on 9 November 1971 to Hatch and Kirk, Inc of Seattle, Wa for $31,850 and was broken up the next year.

Suggested Reading

 * A personal account of a radioman who served aboard the Pawnee from her commissioning until 1945.