USS Molala (ATF-106)

• USS Molala (ATF-106) was an Abnaki-class fleet ocean tug, named after the Molala, a Native American tribe from Oregon. • She was launched on 22 January 1943 by United Engineering Company in Alameda, California, and commissioned on 29 December 1943. • World War II Service: Molala played a crucial role in towing damaged ships, conducting salvage operations, and conducting rescue missions in the Pacific Theater, including the Mariana and Palau Islands campaign and the Battle of Okinawa. • During the Okinawa campaign, she assisted several vessels damaged by kamikaze attacks and was credited with saving ships from sinking. • Molala took part in the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll (Operation Crossroads) in 1946, providing support and salvage services for the historic nuclear tests. • She was involved in the Korean War, providing essential towing and salvage services for United Nations naval forces between 1950 and 1953. • Molala also served during the Vietnam War, carrying out towing, salvage, and rescue missions off the Vietnamese coast and in the Western Pacific. • The ship earned ten battle stars for World War II service, five for the Korean War, and five campaign stars for the Vietnam War, marking her as a highly decorated support vessel. • In 1978, after nearly 35 years of service, the ship was decommissioned and later sold to the Mexican Navy, where she served as ARM Otomi (A-17). • The USS Molala exemplified the vital but often unsung role of fleet ocean tugs, operating in dangerous combat zones to save ships and lives, and supporting three major conflicts—World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.