U.S.S. COCOPA

USS COCOPA (ATF-101)

Cocopa (AT-101) was launched 5 October 1943 by Charleston Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Charleston, S.C.; sponsored by Miss Z. Williams; and commissioned 25 March 1944, Lieutenant J. C. Hutcheson, USNR, in command. She was reclassified ATF-101, 15 May 1944.

Joining the Atlantic Fleet Cocopa began an active career of service. Between 9 May 1944 and 1 April 1945 she made two passages across the Atlantic with barges in tow, and one to Trinidad. She sailed then for the Pacific, reaching San Francisco 8 May, Seattle 14 June, Pearl Harbor 3 July, and Leyte, 29 August. The tug remained in the Far East on occupation duty shuttling between the Philippines, Shanghai, Okinawa, and Hong Kong until returning to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for overhaul on 25 January 1947.

From 1947 through 1960, Cocopa rotated between the west coast, Hawaii, and the Far East, where she served seven tours of duty. In addition, in 1948 and 1949 she plied Alaskan waters.

Cocopa received one battle star for Korean war service.

[Note: The above USS COCOPA (ATF-101) history may, or may not, contain text provided by crew members of the USS COCOPA (ATF-101), or by other non-crew members, and text from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships]