Return to Naval Historical Center home page. Return to Online Library listing

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Photo # NH 97794:  USS Seminole, photographed in 1940

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Seminole (AT-65), 1940-1942

USS Seminole, a 1500-ton Navajo class ocean-going tug, was built at Staten Island, New York. She was commissioned in March 1940 and transferred to the Pacific after her east coast shakedown cruise. During the next two years, as tensions in the Far East gradually grew and exploded into war, Seminole performed towing and salvage operations in the west coast and Hawaii areas. Among the ships she assisted were the Army Transport President Taylor, Navy patrol craft YP-108 and USS Vireo (AT-144).

In mid-August 1942, Seminole was sent to the south Pacific for escort and tug work in connection with U.S. forces' expansion there and the emerging campaign to hold the recently-captured Guadalcanal air base against Japanese counter-attacks. She was employed at Fiji and Tongatabu until mid-October, when she arrived in the combat area. On 25 October 1942, while disembarking personnel, equipment and gasoline off Guadalcanal, Seminole and the patrol craft YP-284 sighted three Japanese destroyers. Though they attempted to escape to the eastward, both small Navy ships were soon attacked, hit and sunk. One member of Seminole's crew was lost with her.

USS Seminole's wreck was located and examined by civilian divers during the middle-1990s. Resting in relatively shallow water off the northern shore of Guadalcanal, she lay on her starboard side partially buried in bottom mud. The ship was in reasonably good condition and could be readily recognized for what she was. As with all sunken U.S. Navy ships, Seminole and her contents remain the property of the United States Government.

This page features our only views of USS Seminole (AT-65).


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: NH 97793

USS Seminole (AT-65)


Photograph taken by her builder, the Bethlehem Steel Company shipyard, Staten Island, New York, at the time of her completion, circa early 1940.
This photograph has been heavily retouched from the mainmast area to the stern.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Online Image: 85KB; 740 x 570 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 97794

USS Seminole (AT-65)


Photograph taken in 1940, probably early in the year at the time of her completion.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Online Image: 66KB; 740 x 530 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 97795

USS Seminole (AT-65)


Photograph taken in 1940, probably early in the year at the time of her completion.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Online Image: 68KB; 740 x 580 pixels

 


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

Page made 7 December 2001