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USS Nauset (AT-89)
Encyclopedia
USS Nauset (AT–89) was a Navajo-class tug in the United States Navy
Nauset was laid down 10 August 1942 by the Cramp Shipbuilding Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
; launched 7 September 1942; and commissioned 2 March 1943; Lt. (j.g.) H. K. Wombacher in command.
Following shakedown off the mid-Atlantic and New England
coasts, Nauset departed Norfolk, Virginia
28 April, and sailed, via Bermuda
, to Mers-el-Kebir
, Algeria
, arriving 26 May. There she performed towing and salvage operations along the North African coast. Detached in early July, she departed Bizerte
on the 8th and steamed eastward to participate in the invasion of Sicily
. On the 10th she joined the “Cent” Attack Force and anchored less than three miles off the Scoglitti
beaches to await calls for assistance.
Heavy surf, indefinite landmarks, and inexperienced boat crews took their toll, keeping Nauset busy for the next two weeks: at first in the Scoglitti area, then at Licata
and Gela
. By the end of the month her operational area had expanded to Palermo
, whence she departed, in mid-August, to tow to Malta
for repairs. Back in Sicilian waters within a week, she continued salvage operations and towing services from the southern beaches to Palermo until the 23rd. On the 24th, Nauset arrived at Bizerte, completed several local salvage and towing assignments, and then staged for her last operation “Avalanche,” with Salerno its target.
On 7 September, Nauset departed the Tunis
ian coast with a Royal Navy
boat crew as passengers, their boat, an LCA(HR)—assault craft equipped with hedgehog projectors as deck cargo, and hedgehogs and dynamite in her holds. Escaping damage during aerial attacks on the 8th, the tug arrived in the vicinity of the US lowering position soon after “D-day,” 9 September, began. Moving further in toward the “Uncle” beaches, AT–89 commenced lowering the LCA(HR), and by 0230, the British craft had shoved off to explode her hedgehog charges in the shallow waters off the beaches, thus, hopefully, clearing the area of mines. Nauset, in the meantime, stood by to await the craft’s return for replenishment.
At 0430, the Luftwaffe
paid its first visit to the Allied vessels. Forty minutes later enemy aircraft again flew over the ships in the Gulf of Salerno. Bombs, from a plane heard, but not seen, exploded in close proximity to the tug. Fire enveloped Nauset's entire boat deck and broke out in the motor and generator rooms, cutting all power. She began to list heavily to port and without pressure in the fire plugs, the fires spread quickly.
The tug Intent, followed by , immediately joined in the battle to save the ship, attaching tow lines and turning on their fire hoses, they stood in toward the nearest beach. Burned and wounded men were soon transferred to Intent, while the uninjured continued the battle. The deck fires were extinguished, but those below raged. Flooding soon broached the critical point and Nauset was abandoned.
After abandonment, the tug righted itself to a 20 feet (6 m) list, raising hopes for saving the ship. The captain, Lt. Joseph Orleck
, the first lieutenant and the chief bos’n reboarded her to make lines fast from Narragansett. Within seconds, however, a final explosion, probably caused by a mine, rocked the ship. Nauset broke in two and sank, taking the captain and the first lieutenant with her.
Lt. Edwin Lee Reel SR. was the senior surviving officer.
Of her wartime complement of 113, 18 were known dead or missing and 41 suffered severe injuries.
Nauset received two battle stars for her brief service in World War II.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
Nauset was laid down 10 August 1942 by the Cramp Shipbuilding Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
; launched 7 September 1942; and commissioned 2 March 1943; Lt. (j.g.) H. K. Wombacher in command.
Following shakedown off the mid-Atlantic and New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
coasts, Nauset departed Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
28 April, and sailed, via Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
, to Mers-el-Kebir
Mers-el-Kébir
Mers-el-Kébir is a port town in northwestern Algeria, located by the Mediterranean Sea near Oran, in the Oran Province.-History:Originally a Roman port, Mers-el-Kébir became an Almohad naval arsenal in the 12th century, fell under the rulers of Tlemcen in the 15th century, and eventually became a...
, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, arriving 26 May. There she performed towing and salvage operations along the North African coast. Detached in early July, she departed Bizerte
Bizerte
Bizerte or Benzert , is the capital city of Bizerte Governorate in Tunisia and the northernmost city in Africa. It has a population of 230,879 .-History:...
on the 8th and steamed eastward to participate in the invasion of Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. On the 10th she joined the “Cent” Attack Force and anchored less than three miles off the Scoglitti
Scoglitti
Scoglitti is a small fishing village near the town of Vittoria on the south coast of Sicily.In addition to its fishing industry, the village derives a substantial part of its income from tourism...
beaches to await calls for assistance.
Heavy surf, indefinite landmarks, and inexperienced boat crews took their toll, keeping Nauset busy for the next two weeks: at first in the Scoglitti area, then at Licata
Licata
Licata is a city and comune located on the south coast of Sicily, at the mouth of the Salso River , about midway between Agrigento and Gela...
and Gela
Gela
Gela is a town and comune in the province of Caltanissetta in the south of Sicily, Italy. The city is at about 84 kilometers distance from the city of Caltanissetta, on the Mediterranean Sea. The city has a larger population than the provincial capital, and ranks second in land area.Gela is an...
. By the end of the month her operational area had expanded to Palermo
Palermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
, whence she departed, in mid-August, to tow to Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
for repairs. Back in Sicilian waters within a week, she continued salvage operations and towing services from the southern beaches to Palermo until the 23rd. On the 24th, Nauset arrived at Bizerte, completed several local salvage and towing assignments, and then staged for her last operation “Avalanche,” with Salerno its target.
On 7 September, Nauset departed the Tunis
Tunis
Tunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
ian coast with a Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
boat crew as passengers, their boat, an LCA(HR)—assault craft equipped with hedgehog projectors as deck cargo, and hedgehogs and dynamite in her holds. Escaping damage during aerial attacks on the 8th, the tug arrived in the vicinity of the US lowering position soon after “D-day,” 9 September, began. Moving further in toward the “Uncle” beaches, AT–89 commenced lowering the LCA(HR), and by 0230, the British craft had shoved off to explode her hedgehog charges in the shallow waters off the beaches, thus, hopefully, clearing the area of mines. Nauset, in the meantime, stood by to await the craft’s return for replenishment.
At 0430, the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
paid its first visit to the Allied vessels. Forty minutes later enemy aircraft again flew over the ships in the Gulf of Salerno. Bombs, from a plane heard, but not seen, exploded in close proximity to the tug. Fire enveloped Nauset's entire boat deck and broke out in the motor and generator rooms, cutting all power. She began to list heavily to port and without pressure in the fire plugs, the fires spread quickly.
The tug Intent, followed by , immediately joined in the battle to save the ship, attaching tow lines and turning on their fire hoses, they stood in toward the nearest beach. Burned and wounded men were soon transferred to Intent, while the uninjured continued the battle. The deck fires were extinguished, but those below raged. Flooding soon broached the critical point and Nauset was abandoned.
After abandonment, the tug righted itself to a 20 feet (6 m) list, raising hopes for saving the ship. The captain, Lt. Joseph Orleck
Joseph Orleck
Joseph Orleck was an officer in the United States Navy.Born at Columbus, Ohio, Orleck enlisted in the Navy 23 June 1924. Rising through the enlisted ranks, he was warranted Boatswain, 14 December 1938, and appointed Ensign, 15 June 1942. He assumed command of , 28 May 1943 with the rank of...
, the first lieutenant and the chief bos’n reboarded her to make lines fast from Narragansett. Within seconds, however, a final explosion, probably caused by a mine, rocked the ship. Nauset broke in two and sank, taking the captain and the first lieutenant with her.
Lt. Edwin Lee Reel SR. was the senior surviving officer.
Of her wartime complement of 113, 18 were known dead or missing and 41 suffered severe injuries.
Nauset received two battle stars for her brief service in World War II.
External links
- Photo gallery at navsource.org