USS Chilula

USCGC Chilula (WMEC-153) underway 2 July 1960, location unknown. The Coast Guard used her primarily for search and rescue.
History
United States
Name	USS Chilula (ATF-153)
Namesake	Chilula
Builder	Charleston Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co.
Laid down	13 June 1944
Launched	1 December 1944
Commissioned	5 April 1945
Decommissioned	8 February 1947
Reclassified	Fleet ocean tug ATF-153 15 May 1944
Recommissioned	USCGC Chilula (WAT-153) 3 October 1956
Decommissioned	19 June 1991
Reclassified	Medium Endurance Cutter Chilula (WMEC-153) 1 May 1966
Fate	Sunk as a target in 1997
General characteristics
Class and type	Template:Sclass-
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 single screw 3,000 shp (2,237 kW)
Speed	16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph)
Complement	86
Armament	1 × 3 in (76 mm) gun 2 × single 40 mm AA guns 2 × single 20 mm guns AA guns 2 × depth charge tracks

USS Chilula (ATF-153) was a Template:Sclass- 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."

Description

International radio call sign of USS Chilula (ATF-153)
November	Papa	India	November

Chilula was laid down 13 June 1944, at Charleston Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co. in Charleston and launched on 1 December 1944. She was commissioned 5 April 1945, with Lt. O. L. Guinn in command.

Decommission and sale

After the war, Chilula sailed for home. In Portland on 15 November 1946, she was decommissioned and entered the Pacific Reserve Fleet. She was struck from the Naval Register 1 November 1959, and transferred to Indonesia on 26 January 1961 as part of the Military Assistance Program. She served Indonesia as Rakata (928) until 1969.

• - - EDIT - - *

I do not have history beyond my tenure, but I was stationed on WMEC153 CGC Chilula at Fort Macon, Atlantic Beach / Morehead City, North Carolina in June 1969. She had been at Fort Macon for many years prior to my arrival. So “Indonesia as Rakata until 1969” is incorrect.

This info is from the Navy archives: Cherokee Class Fleet Ocean Tug: Laid down, 13 June 1944, as Fleet Tug (AT-153) at Charleston Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Charleston, S.C. Reclassified, Fleet Ocean Tug (ATF-153), 15 May 1944 Launched, 1 December 1944 Commissioned USS Chilula (AT-153), 5 April 1945, LT. O. L. Guinn in command During World War II USS Chilula was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater Following World War II USS Chilula was assigned to Occupation duty from 19 September 1945 to 4 April 1946 Decommissioned, 8 February 1947, at Orange, TX. Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Texas Group, Orange Transferred, on loan, to the Coast Guard, 9 July 1956 Commissioned USCGC Chilula (WAT-153), 3 October 1956, CDR Roy M. Hutchins, USCG in command Designation changed to (WATF-153) in 1956 soon after commissioning Redesignated Medium Endurance Cutter (WMEC-153), 1 May 1966 Decommissioned, 19 June 1991 Returned to US Navy custody, date unknown Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown Final Disposition, sunk as a target in 1997

See also

• List of United States Navy ships
• World War II
• Tugboat

References

 This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

External links

• Photo gallery of USS Chilula (ATF-153/ATF-73) at NavSource Naval History