USS Papago ( ATF - 160 ) USS " Papago " ( ATF - 160 ) was an built for the United States Navy during World War II , and named for the American Indian tribe of the Piman family that formerly lived south and southeast of the Gila River in Arizona and the Mexican state of Sonora . Construction History . " Papago " was laid down at Charleston , South Carolina by the Charleston Shipbuilding and Drydock Company on 19 March 1945 . She was launched on 21 June 1945 , with Mrs . William Thomas Johnston as her sponsor . " Papago " was commissioned into the United States Navy on 3 October 1945 , with Lt . W . S . Hall in command . Operational history . Post - shakedown operations . Following shakedown , " Papago " reported to the Naval Operating Base in Newport , Rhode Island on 17 November 1945 and conducted training operations and movements to assist various vessels in distress for the remainder of that year . After duty as a stand - by tug in Bermuda , " Papago " towed YD – 171 , the world ' s largest self - propelled Floating crane at the time , from Bremerhaven , Germany to Cristóbal , Colón , in the Panama Canal Zone , from 14 August to 20 September 1946 . Major towing and salvage operations . " Papago " engaged in general towing , upkeep , and material maintenance for several months after which she made towing voyages in 1949 from the Panama Canal Zone to Naval Station Norfolk ; from Norfolk to Newport ; and from Boston to Bayonne , New Jersey . From 30 January to 7 February 1950 , " Papago " was involved in re - floating the battleship , which had run aground in Hampton Roads on 17 January . She then moved decommissioned destroyer escorts to Philadelphia for the transfer to France under the Military Defense Assistance Program between 10 May to 14 May 1950 . " Papago " later towed the decommissioned heavy cruiser from Boston to Philadelphia between 17 July to 21 July 1961 . " Papago " was subsequently engaged in the salvaging and re - floating operation involving the decommissioned destroyer , which had grounded at Beach Haven , New Jersey , while being towed by another vessel during a severe storm on 6 March 1962 between 6 March to 22 April . For this effort , " Papago " received a citation from Admiral Robert L . Dennison , the Commander - in - Chef U . S . Atlantic Fleet ( CINCLANTFLT ) . The first half of 1968 was marked by four and a half months of almost continuous steaming in coastal and Caribbean waters involving the pioneering of nuclear submarine towing methods , followed in the fall by participation in communications experiments in the Virginia Capes area . " Papago " received the Award of Excellence in Engineering for fiscal year 1968 . On 10 November , " Papago " towed the newly - decommissioned destroyer to the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard , reaching that facility on the 12 March . Naval exercises & operations . " Papago " did not participate in the Korean War , while she did perform towing operations in coastal waters and the Caribbean . " Papago " did participate in refresher training and towed gunnery targets in the Guantanamo Bay area from 11 March to 16 July 1957 . She participated in NATO ' s Operation Strikeback , deploying to Scotland from 14 September to 28 September 1957 . " Papago " also participated in NASA ' s manned space flight program as a naval support vessel for the following missions : " Papago " participated in quarantine operations during the Cuban Missile Crisis from 10 October to 14 November 1962 . In early 1963 , she provided services for Operation Springboard in the Caribbean Sea and spent much of the remainder of 1963 and 1964 in the Guantanamo Bay and Virginia Capes areas . " Papago " later joined Commander Task Group 124 . 3 ( CTG 124 . 3 ) in May 1965 for duty during the crisis in the Dominican Republic , then steamed in the North Atlantic as part of Commander Service Division 81 ( ComServDiv 81 ) . While serving as a rescue , salvage , and towing ship for the U . S . Sixth Fleet in 1967 , " Papago " provided escort and communication support to the stricken which had been attacked by Israeli forces during the Six - Day War . " Papago " ended 1968 undergoing an extensive overhaul at Newport News . Starting 28 June 1985 , " Papago " participated in anti - drug patrols in the Caribbean Sea as part of Joint Task Force 4 ( JTF - 4 ) . Awards & Citations . " Papago " received the following awards and citations during her commission as a unit of the United States Navy : Final Disposal . " Papago " was decommissioned on 28 July 1992 and was struck from the Naval Registry on 14 February 1995 . Ex - " Papago " was transferred to the Maritime Administration on 29 December 1997 for disposal , and is presently a part of the Naval mothball fleet located in Philadelphia , PA .