View source for USS Chowanoc (ATF-100)

{{Infobox ship
|Ship image=[[File:USS Chowanoc (ATF-100) tows USS Philippine Sea (CV-47) c1958.jpg|300px]]
|Ship image size=
|Ship caption=''Chowanoc'' (left) towing the decommissioned aircraft carrier [[USS Philippine Sea]] circa 1958.
|module={{Infobox ship career|embed=yes
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|Ship country= United States
|Ship flag= {{shipboxflag|United States|naval}}
|Ship name='''Chowanoc'''
|Ship namesake=
|Ship ordered=
|Ship builder=[[Charleston Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co.]]
|Ship laid down=unknown
|Ship launched=20 August 1943
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned=21 February 1944
|Ship decommissioned=1 October 1977
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck=1 October 1977
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship homeport=
|Ship motto=
|Ship nickname=
|Ship honours=
|Ship fate=Transferred to Ecuador, 1 October 1977
|Ship status=
|Ship notes=
}}
|module2={{Infobox ship career|embed=yes
|Hide header=title
|Ship country=Ecuador
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Ecuador|naval}}
|Ship name='''BAE ''Chimborazo'' (RA-70)'''
|Ship namesake=
|Ship acquired=1 October 1977
|Ship commissioned=
|Ship decommissioned=
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck=
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship homeport=
|Ship motto=
|Ship nickname=
|Ship honours=
|Ship fate=
|Ship status=In service as of 2019
|Ship notes=
}}
|module3={{Infobox ship characteristics|embed=yes
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class= {{sclass-|Abnaki|fleet ocean tug}}
|Ship displacement= {{convert|1240|LT|t|0|abbr=on}}
|Ship length= {{convert|205|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam= {{convert|38|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draft= {{convert|15|ft|4|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=
|Ship speed= {{convert|16.5|kn|mph km/h|lk=off}}
|Ship range=
|Ship complement=85
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*1 × [[3"/50 caliber gun|{{convert|3|in|mm|abbr=on}}]] gun
*2 × [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|20 mm]] guns
|Ship armor=
|Ship notes=
}}
}}
{{Infobox service record
|is_ship=yes
|label=
|partof=[[United States Pacific Fleet|Pacific Fleet]]
|codes=
|commanders=LT. Rodney F. Snipes
|operations=*[[World War II]]
*[[Korean War]]
*[[Vietnam War]]
|victories=
|awards=*4 [[battle star]]s (World War I)
*1 [[battle star]] (Korea)
*7 battle stars (Vietnam)
}}

'''USS Chowanoc (ATF-100)''' was an [[Abnaki-class tug|''Abnaki''-class]] of fleet ocean tug. It was named after an Indian tribe of [[Chowanoke|the same name]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/39/39100.htm|title=Fleet Tug (ATF)|website=www.navsource.org}}</ref>

==Service history==
[[World War II|World War 2]]:

Worked on the Marianas operation, with the Capture and occupation of Saipan from 3 to 10 August 1944. worked on the capture and occupation of Guam from 3 to 15 August 1944. Working on the Luzon operation in the Lingayen Gulf landings from 9 to 18 January 1945. Worked on the Leyte operation in the Leyte landings from 20 to 22 November 1944.

[[Korean War]]: Worked in Korean in the 1952 and 1953.

[[Vietnam War]]: Worked in the Vietnamese Counteroffensive from 9 to 12 April 1966. Worked in the Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II from 28 July to 1 August 1966. Worked in the Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V from 8 to 10 October 1968. Worked in the Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VI from 10 to 17 November 1968, 29 November to 5 December 1968 and 12 December 1968 to 11 January 1969. Serviced in the Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII from 19 to 22 May 1971, 7 to 23January 1973 and 21 February to 21 March 1973.

''Chowanoc'' was sold to the Ecuadorian Navy on 1 October 1977 under the Security Assistance Program and renamed '''BAE ''Chimborazo'' (RA-70)'''.

On 2 March 2020, ''Chimborazo'' was quarantined for two weeks at Guayaquil South Naval Base after a member of its 50-person crew was discovered to have been in contact with someone infected with COVID-19.

== Awards ==
'''Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons'''
{|
| colspan="3" align="center" |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=U.S. Navy Unit Commendation ribbon.svg|width=103}} {{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=American Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=4|type=service-star|ribbon=Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=World War II Victory Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon= Army of Occupation ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon, 2nd award.svg|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=Korean Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Vietnam Service Medal ribbon, 5th award.svg|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Humanitarian Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=Phliber rib.svg|width=106}}
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=United Nations Service Medal Korea ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal ribbon, with 60- clasp.svg|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Republic of Korea War Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|}
USS Chowanoc received four [[Battle star|battle stars]] for World War II service:
{| class="fandom-table"
| colspan="2" |<center>{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}'''Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns'''</center>
|-
!Campaign and Dates
!Campaign and Dates
|-
|'''Marianas operation'''
Capture and occupation of Saipan, 3 to 10 August 1944
Capture and occupation of Guam, 3 to 15 August 1944
|'''Luzon operation'''
Lingayen Gulf landings, 9 to 18 January 1945
|-
|'''Leyte operation'''
Leyte landings, 20 to 22 November 1944
|'''3d Fleet operations against Japan''', July 1945
|}
She received one [[campaign star]] during the [[Korean War]] for this campaign:
{| class="fandom-table"
|<center>'''{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Korean Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}''' '''Korean War Campaign'''</center>
|-
!Campaign and Dates
|-
|'''Korean, Summer-Fall 1953 Defense Summer-Fall 1952'''
1to 3 May 1953
13 to 16 and 19 June 1953
9 and 11 to 22 July 1953
|}
She received seven campaign stars during the [[Vietnam War]] for these campaigns:
{| class="fandom-table"
| colspan="2" |<center>[[File:Vietnam_Service_Medal_ribbon.svg|center|thumb|100x100px]]'''Vietnam War Campaigns'''</center>
|-
!Campaign and Dates
!Campaign and Dates
|-
|'''Vietnamese Counteroffensive'''
9 to 12 April 1966
|'''Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969'''
18 September to 11 October 1969
|-
|'''Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II'''
28 July to 1 August 1966
|'''Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970'''
19 to 29 November 1969
5 to 7 December 1969
20 December 1969 to 8 January 1970
9 to 18 April 1971
|-
|-
|'''Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V'''
8 to 10 October 1968
|'''Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII'''
19 to 22 May 1971
7 to 23 January 1973
21 February to 21 March 1973
|-
|'''Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VI'''
10 to 17 November 1968
29 November to 5 December 1968
12 December 1968 to 11 January 1969
|
|}

==Historical significance==
It is notable as being the last ship served on by [[Richard Benjamin Harrison]] of ''[[Pawn Stars]]''.<ref>{{cite episode|series=Pawn Stars|season=8|number=49|title=April Fooled|network=History|airdate=April 3, 2014}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Wikipedia|USS Chowanoc (ATF-100)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chowanoc (ATF-100)}}
[[Category:Abnaki-class tugs]]
[[Category:1943 ships]]