USS Yaupon
| History | |
|---|---|
.svg){kind=small}  United States | |
| Name | USS Yaupon |
| Namesake | A Native American term designating a type of holly tree |
| Ordered | as Yaupon (YN-96) |
| Builder | Canulette Shipbuilding Co., Slidell, Louisiana |
| Laid down | 29 January 1944 |
| Launched | 16 September 1944 |
| Commissioned | 10 March 1945 as USS ATA-218 |
| Decommissioned | date unknown |
| Renamed | ATA-218, 15 May 1944 |
| Reclassified | AN-72, 20 January 1944 |
| Stricken | 17 April 1946 |
| Fate | sold thorough the War Shipping Administration, 3 January 1947, presumably for scrapping |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | ATA-214-class auxiliary fleet tug |
| Displacement | 1,275 tons |
| Length | 194' 6" |
| Beam | 34' 7" |
| Draft | 14' 1" (full load) |
| Propulsion | diesel-electric engines, single screw |
| Speed | 12.1 knots |
| Complement | 57 officers and enlisted |
| Armament | two 40mm gun mounts |
USS ATA-218 was an ATA-214-class tug of the United States Navy built near the end of World War II. Originally laid down as Yaupon (YN-96), a net tender of the Ailanthus class, she was redesignated as AN-72, a net layer, before launch. Before completion, the name Yaupon was cancelled and the ship was named ATA-218, an unnamed auxiliary ocean tug.
Career
ATA-218 was laid down as Yaupon (AN-72) on 29 January 1944 at Slidell, Louisiana, by the Canulette Shipbuilding Company. Her name was cancelled on 12 August 1944, and she was designated ATA-218. She was launched on 16 September 1944 and commissioned on 10 March 1945.
Information regarding ATA-218's brief Navy career is almost totally lacking. Even her decommissioning date is unknown. Her name was struck from the Navy List on 17 April 1946, and she was sold through the War Shipping Administration on 3 January 1947. Presumably, she was scrapped.
References
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.- NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive - ATA-218 - YN-96 / AN-72 Yaupon
