Navajo II



AT-64

Displacement 1,270

Length 205'

Beam 38'6"

Draw 15'4"

Speed 16 k

Complement 80

Armament 1 3"

Class Navajo



	The second Navajo (AT-64) was laid down by the Bethlehem

Shipbuilding Corp., Staten Island, N.Y., 12 December 1938; launched 17

August 1939; sponsored by Miss Olive Rasmussen; and commissioned 26

January 1940, Lt. Comdr. M. E. Thomas in command.



	Following shakedown and a brief tour on the east coast, Navajo,

an ocean going tug, steamed to San Diego, where, in June 1940, she

reported for duty in Base Force, later Service Force, Pacific Fleet.

Until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor her towing and salvage

capabilities kept her busy in the central and eastern Pacific, then,

after 7 December 1941, in the Pearl Harbor area. Interrupted only by a

resupply and reinforcement run to Johnston Island at the end of

December, she remained in the waters off Oahu into the spring of 1942.

In late April she sailed to Canton Island where she attempted the

salvage of SS President Taylor, then returned to Pearl Harbor whence

she got underway for the war zone 12 July. Arriving in the New Hebrides

just after the landings on Guadalcanal, she supported operations in the

Solomons with repair and salvage work at Espiritu Santo, Noumea,

Tongatabu, and Suva, as well as under battle conditions at Tulagi,

Guadalcanal, and Rennell. Towing assignments during those operations

took her throughout the island groups of the south Pacific, and once,

in late November-early December 1942, to Sydney, Australia.



	In the spring of 1943 Navajo returned to California, underwent

overhaul, and in July got underway to return to the south Pacific.

Steaming via Pago Pago, she arrived at Bora Bora 21 August and

commenced salvage and repair work on Pasig. At the end of the month she

sailed for Pago Pago, whence she got underway to tow YO~42 to Espiritu

Santo. While enroute 12 September the ship was rocked by an explosion.

Within seconds a heavy starboard list resulted in a submerged starboard

side. Navajo began going down, rapidly, by the bow and abandonment

commenced. As the ship settled depth charges secured to port and

starboard K-gun projectors exploded. An estimated two minutes had

passed before she sank, but 17 of her crew accompanied her to the

bottom.



Navajo earned 2 battle stars during World War II.