USS Luiseno (ATF-156)

USS Luiseno (ATF-156) was an Abnaki-class fleet ocean tug built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named after the Luiseño peoples (the southernmost division of the Shoshone Indians of California, who received their name from Mission San Luis Rey de Francia, the most important Spanish mission in their territory), she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

Luiseno was laid down 7 November 1944 by the Charleston Shipbuilding & Drydock Company of Charleston, South Carolina; launched 17 March 1945; sponsored by Mrs. William J. Roth, Jr.; and commissioned 16 June 1945 with Lieutenant William O. Talley in command.

Service history
After shakedown, Luiseno operated out of Norfolk, Virginia and Boston before sailing for Florida 28 July. For the rest of the year she performed salvage and target towing services in the Florida/Cuba area. During the summer of 1946 the fleet tug made a cruise to Bremerhaven, Germany to tow a 350-ton crane to Cristóbal in the Canal Zone, arriving there 20 September. From 1946 Luiseno performed miscellaneous duties including target towing, salvage operations, and other vital services, along the east coast, in the Caribbean and from her home port, Newport, Rhode Island.

During the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962 she operated out of the Guantanamo Naval Base, ready to perform any duty for which she would be called. Luiseno removed aircraft wreckage from the 1966 Palomares B-52 crash for dumping in the Atlantic.

Despite the lack of fanfare, the accomplishments of this fleet tug contribute significantly to the strength of the world's mightiest fleet. Decommissioned and struck from the Naval Vessel Register 1 July 1975, Luiseno was subsequently transferred to Argentina under terms of the Security Assistance Program and renamed ARA Francisco de Gurruchaga (A-3). Still in service as of 2009.

Luiseno received the Navy Unit Commendation, Navy Expeditionary Medal (2-Cuba), American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Cuba).

Gurruchaga incident
On February 19, 1982, six weeks before the beginning of the Falklands War, an incident occurred that could have sparked a full fledged war between Chile and Argentina during the Papal mediation in the Beagle conflict. ARA Gurruchaga was anchored at Deceit Island inside the Beagle zone under mediation in Vatican, ostensibly providing support for sports boats participating in the Rio de Janeiro-Sydney boat race. The Quidora torpedo Boat approached and ordered the Argentine ship to leave the area. She fired several warning shots when the Argentine craft refused to move, as other Chilean ships converged to the scene. Although originally ordered not to leave the area and to wait for Argentine warships to arrive, the Argentine patrol boat received new orders to proceed to port as it became obvious that the Chilean navy had no intentions of backing down.