Wampanoag II (ATA-202)
(ATA-202: dp. 835 (tl.); l. 143'0"; b. 33'10"; dr. 13'2"; s. 13 k. (tl.); cpl. 45; a. 1 3"; cl. ATA-170)
An Indian tribe formerly occupying the territory extending from Narragansett Bay and the Pawtucket River, R.I., to the Atlantic Ocean, including Nantucket Island and Martha's Vineyard, Mass. The name means "eastern people."
II
ATA-202 was laid down on 24 August 1944 at Port Arthur, Tex., by the Gulf port Boiler & Welding Works; launched on 10 October 1944; and commissioned on 8 December 1944.
The auxiliary ocean tug completed her shakedown training during the latter half of December 1944 and proceeded via the Panama Canal to the Pacific. On 12 January 1945, she reported for duty with the Pacific Fleet and, by late April, had joined Service Squadron (ServRon) 10 in support of the Okinawa campaign. Late in May, she moved to Okinawa itself for a brief tour of duty and returned to her base at Ulithi in mid-June. It is reasonable to assume that her round-trip voyage to the Ryukyus was for the purpose of towing battle-damaged ships back to Ulithi for repair. She continued her duty with ServRon 10 through the end of the war, returned to the United States in September, and began nine months of duty in the llth Naval District at San Diego. She was reassigned to the Atlantic Reserve Fleet's Texas Group in March 1946 and actually reported to Orange, Tex., in July. Oh 27 February 1947, the tug was placed out of service there and berthed with the Texas Group, Atlantic Reserve Fleet. ATA-202 was named Wampanoag on 16 July 1948.
Wampanoag remained in reserve until 25 February 1959 at which time she was loaned to the Coast Guard. A little over 10 years later, on 1 June 1969, she was transferred permanently to the Coast Guard, and her name was struck from the Navy list. During her Coast Guard service, the ship has served under the name Comanche (WMEC-202). As of 11 May 1979, she was stationed at Eureka, Calif.
Wampanoag (ATA-202) was awarded one battle star during World War II.
