USS Molala

USS Molala (AT-106/ATF-106) was an Abnaki-class tug of the U.S. Navy, named after the Molala people of Oregon.

She was laid down as AT‑106 on 26 July 1942, by United Engineering Co., of Alameda, California; launched 23 December 1942; sponsored by Miss Molly Fay; and commissioned 29 September 1943, with Lt. Rudolph L. Ward in command.

Service history

Following shakedown off California, Molala steamed to Hawaii, arriving at Pearl Harbor 14 December 1943. Between February and June 1944, she operated from the Marshall Islands, towing damaged ships to Pearl Harbor. During that time, she was reclassified ATF‑106, effective 15 May. After taking part in the invasion of Saipan, she continued towing and salvage operations between the Marianas and Gilberts, returning 2 September to Pearl Harbor. Assigned to the 3d Fleet, Molala was involved in the Luzon invasion in November. She departed Ulithi 29 December, supporting 3rd Fleet China Sea operations, returning 27 January 1945.

Reassigned to the 5th Fleet, she joined a carrier group in February striking at Tokyo, in support of the Iwo Jima invasion. She arrived Ulithi 7 March with Yarnell in tow, and 4 days later fought a fire on USS Randolph (CV-15). For almost a month she rendered valuable assistance to the Okinawa invasion forces, performing her duties, despite the threat of suicide attacks. She departed Kerama Retto 6 May, and spent the next 3 months between the Philippines and Marianas. She arrived Japan 4 September for occupation duty before returning to the west coast.

Between 1947 and 1952, she was assigned duties in the Hawaiian Islands, Alaska, and WESTPAC. She steamed to Korea, to aid in the struggle against Communist aggression, arriving October 1952, and conducted diving operations until the cessation of hostilities. For the next 3 years she operated off Alaska and the west coast. She steamed to the Far East 4 February 1957, returning 19 July to San Diego.

She spent the next 7 years making regular deployments to northern and western Pacific waters. In September 1964, Molala patrolled the troubled waters off South Vietnam returning to Vietnam in the winter of 1965 to carry out salvage work before steaming to the west coast the following year. She departed San Diego 4 January 1967 for WestPac duty, during which time she again entered Vietnamese waters, returning 29 July to San Diego. She departed San Diego April 1968, for another tour of duty in the Far East, and operates off Japan into 1969.

She was transferred to a foreign government in 1978.

Honors and awards

Molala received five battle stars for World War II service, and three for Korean service.

References

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