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The crew of the little fleet tug wasn’t aware that they were supposed to let the big boys in the fleet get the glory of knocking down five enemy planes in record time.
Now anyone who knows anything about tugboats - even large ocean-going Naval tugs - knows that they were made to be work horses, not sharpshooting combat vessels. USS Chowanoc (ATF-100) was no exception, and indeed she spent many a day doing her share of shepherding garbage scows and other very non-glorious workaday harbor duties. That’s because as a fleet tug (the largest class in wartime service) her principal role was to assist the various combat fleets, be they of the amphibious support nature, supply convoys, or even the fast carrier fleets. You see the fleet tug was by any standard a jack-of-all trades, a valued Naval auxiliary that could be counted on to perform myriad missions 24/7 in and out of the combat zones. As such, the ATF - and there was 68 of the Navajo-class in service during WW II - were the Queens of what was popularly known as the “Dungaree Navy”- the sailors who manned those all-important fleet auxiliaries.
If you'd care to get some of the 'inside scoop' of these salty little buggers...and the crews that manned them...you can click: HERE to read about "Chowanoc's Sharp Shooters" Hope you enjoy the read....if you did..leave a comment ...I welcome "all" ...
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