USS Iuka (ATA-123)

History
United States
Name	Iuka
Builder	Levingston Shipbuilding Co., Orange, Texas
Laid down	21 November 1942
Launched	20 December 1942
Commissioned	30 June 1943
Decommissioned	26 November 1947
Reclassified	Auxiliary Fleet Tug ATA-123, 15 May 1944
Identification	IMO number: 7942233
Fate	Sold to a commercial interest
General characteristics
Class and type	Sotoyomo-class tugboat
Displacement	534 t.(lt) 835 t.(fl)
Length	143 ft (44 m)
Beam	33 ft (10 m)
Draft	13 ft (4.0 m)
Propulsion	diesel-electric engines, single screw
Speed	13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph)
Complement	45
Armament	one single 3 in (76 mm) dual purpose gun mount

USS Iuka (ATA-123) was laid down by Levingston Shipbuilding Co., Orange, Texas, on 21 November 1942. The ship was launched on 20 December 1942 and commissioned on 30 June 1943.

After a brief period of duties out of Norfolk, Virginia, ATR-45 sailed for the Pacific, reaching Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, via the Panama Canal and Bora Bora, Society Islands, late in October. For the duration of war the fleet tug remained in the South Pacific islands, operating primarily at Espiritu Santo, to tow targets and barges as well as handle other harbor duties. ATR-45 was reclassified ATA-123 15 May 1944.

The ocean tug returned Pearl Harbor 7 September 1945 and from there set course for San Francisco. She performed harbor duties along the California coast until she decommissioned at San Pedro and went into reserve 26 November 1947. While berthed with the Columbia River Group, Pacific Reserve Fleet, ATA-123 was named Iuka 16 July 1948. She remained in the Pacific Reserve until September 1960 when she was transferred to the Maritime Administration. In September 1962 Iuka entered the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Olympia, Washington, until she was sold in 1976.

•  This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
• NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive USS Iuka (ATA-123)