USS Narragansett AT-88

[disneydave]

The USS Narragansett was a Navajo class tugboat that was laid down in January 1942, launched in the fall of 1942 and commissioned in January 1943. After shakedown the tug departed for the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, where she began her war service performing salvage operations off the Algerian coast.

 

 

I acquired the original art for the Narragansett several months ago. The design was created by Disney artist Hank Porter in the spring of 1945 and features the likeness of Disney's Little Hiawatha.

 

 

The 205 foot long tug was powered by four General Motors diesel main engines. She was armed with one 3 inch / .50 caliber duel-purpose gun, two twin 40mm anti-aircraft guns and two single 20mm anti-aircraft guns.

 

At the Casablanca conference Allied leaders agreed the invasion of France was not feasible. Instead, top military planners opted for an amphibious landing on the Italian island of Sicily. Fighting forces from America, Canada and Britain took part in the mission, which began on the evening of July 9, 1943 and ended in mid-August.

 

Dubbed Operation Husky, Narragansett contributed to the success of the invasion by assisting landing craft in distress. On August 10th she towed the USS Mayrant to Malta for repairs. The destroyer suffered damage to her engine room during a German air attack that also resulted in the deaths of five of her sailors. Franklin D,. Roosevelt Jr. was the ship's Executive Officer at the time of the attack. Roosevelt was later awarded the Silver Star for his heroic efforts in keeping the ship afloat. Thirteen days later, while in Palermo Harbor, Narragansett was damaged during a raid by German bombers that resulted in two of her crew being wounded.

 

In September the fleet tug took part in the invasion of Italy, where she came to the aid of a sister tug, USS Nauset, as well as various landing craft. In mid-September Narragansett towed the Royal Navy cruiser HMS Uganda to Malta for repairs. The tug remained in Italian waters where she assisted in salvage operations.

 

In June 1944 Narragansett was reclassified ATF-86. In August she took part in Operation Dragoon, the codename assigned to the invasion of Southern France, where she helped in salvage and resupply missions. In the fall Narragansett returned to the United States for overhaul.

 

In January 1945 the tug was transferred to the Pacific Fleet. Narragansett suffered severe hull damage off the coast of Central America when a floating dock she was towing broke free and smashed into her. After repairs the tug continued on her journey to the South Pacific.

 

During the summer of 1945 the tug operated in waters off Eniwetok, Saipan, Guam and the Philippines. Narragansett returned to Pearl Harbor on October 25, 1945 and was eventually decommissioned in December 1946.

 

I love both the expression on Hiawatha's face and the nickname "Nasty Narry" the crew gave to their boat. Based on the art, there is no doubt the men and their machine meant business.