Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Tom Anderson via NAFTS

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Koka (ATA-185)
ex
 USS ATA-185 (1944 - 1948)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Oscar - Delta
 NJOD
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asian-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Sotoyomo Class Auxiliary Fleet Tug:
  • Originally designated as Rescue Ocean Tug ATR-112
  • Redesignated Auxiliary Fleet Tug ATA-185, 15 May 1944
  • Laid down, 5 August 1944, at Levingston Shipbuilding Co., Orange, TX.
  • Launched, 11 September 1944
  • Commissioned, USS ATA-185, 17 November 1944, ENS. Woodrow Sullivan, USN in command
  • During World War II USS ATA-185 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 19 to 25 June 1945
  • Following World War II USS ATA-185 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 14 September to 3 November 1945
  • USS ATA-185 was assigned to Joint Task Force 1, Task Unit 1.2.7 Target Vessel Group - Salvage Units for Operation Crossroads the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in July 1946
  • Named, USS Koka (ATA-185), 16 July 1948
  • Decommissioned and struck from the Naval Register in 1971
  • USS ATA-185 earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Commercial Service
    Sold for commercial service to Samoan American Tug Co. in 1971
    Sold to Guam Marine Department, date unknown, renamed Taliga
    In 1984 tug Taliga was sold for reuse as a breakwater in the Seattle area.
    Final Disposition, sunk, date unknown, at Crow's Nest Marina on the east side of Commencement Bay, Tacoma, WA. while being prepared for scuttling as part of a breakwater
    Specifications:
    Displacement 835 t.(lt) 1,360 t.(fl)
    Length 143'
    Beam 33' 10"
    Draft 13' 2" (limiting)
    Speed 12 kts.
    Armament
    one single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount
    two single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Largest Boom Capacity 5 t.
    Complement
    Officers 5
    Enlisted 40
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 1,200 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two GM 12-278A Diesel-electric engines
    single Fairbanks Morse Main Reduction Gear
    Ship's Service Generators
    two 60Kw 120V. D.C.
    single propeller, 1,200shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Koka 112k USS Koka (ATA-185) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, July 1953    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Koka 31k USS Koka (ATA-185) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 National Association
    of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Koka 30k USS Koka (ATA-185) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo courtesy National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors, contributed by Bill Mozingo.    		 Robert Hurst
    Koka 32k USS Koka (ATA-185) under way, circa Sept 1962 - June 1964, location unknown.
    Photos courtesy National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors, contributed by Peter Littlefield, former USS Koka Executive Officer..    		 Robert Hurst
    Koka 28k
    USS Koka (ATA-185)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01ENS. Sullivan, Woodrow, USN16 November 1944 - March 1946
    02LTjg. Leonnig, Robert Bayard, USNMarch 1946 - ?
    03LCDR. Wright, Leonard Kyle, USN1955 - 1958
    04LTjg. Squires, Howard James, USN1960 - July 1961
    05LT. Murrell, Charles James, USNJuly 1961 - July 1963
    06LT. French Jr., Dana Page, USN (USNA 1961)April 1965 - 15 July 1966
    07LT. Riess Jr., Joseph Raymond, USN15 July 1966 - 25 October 1968
    08LT. Hill, Charles Kenneth, USN25 October 1968 - ?
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Ship Photo Index Back To The Rescue Ocean Tug (ATR) Photo Index Back To the Auxiliary Fleet Tug (ATA) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 26 March 2021