USS Molala ATF-106: This is my third duty station afloat. I
reported to the Molala in May of 1971. She had just returned from a WESTPAC cruise a couple of months before. An ATF's duties is to provide
towing, salvage and at times rescue operations for the fleet. We have
towed targets for other ships to shoot at (DUCK!), towed ships and barges
and floating cranes from various overseas locations such as Panama,
Okinawa and Sasebo, Japan to locations in the United States and other
ports. We even towed a bunch of Army harbor tugs from Danang, S. Vietnam
to Subic Bay. It was said from the air that we looked like a mother duck
with her babies following behind us. You'll note that this ship, although
small (205' long with a crew of around 90) is actually a full blown ship.
Not a harbor tug. When we got underway, we steamed alone. The Molala
sported a 3 inch 50 gun mount just forward of the bridge. In addition to
being able to blow big holes in things this gun could also fire a shot
line over the bow or structure of a ship in distress. We could then feed a
tow line, etc., to the stricken vessel. I loved this ship and it's crew.
The Molala was decommissioned and sold to the Mexican Navy. Her new name
is the KUKULKAN (A-52) and before that she was called the OTOMI (A-17). I
recently received a photo of the KUKULKAN from the Mexican Government. To
see this photo see the link below. (Special THANKS to Chris Cavas of The
Navy Times who located and posted this official U.S. Navy photograph for
me). Just click on the photo to see a larger view.
