USS Cree ( ATF - 84 ) USS " Cree " ( AT / ATF - 84 ) , a , was a ship of the United States Navy named for the Cree , an indigenous people of North America whose people range from the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean . " Cree " was one of 70 such vessels produced in this World War II - era class . Another well - known example ( from ' Perfect Storm ' fame ) of this type is the / . Military Sealift Command currently uses Fleet Ocean Tugs from the " Powhatan " class to accomplish a similar mission today . Service history . " Cree " ( AT - 84 ) was launched 17 August 1942 by United Engineering Co . , San Francisco , California ; sponsored by Mrs . T . Colburn ; and commissioned 28 March 1943 , Lieutenant P . Bond in command . World War II . From 10 April to 9 May 1943 " Cree " sailed between San Francisco and San Diego towing target sleds and dry - dock sections . She cleared on 11 May for Seattle and Dutch Harbor , and operated out of Adak from 26 July 1943 to 15 August 1944 . " Cree " screened transports to Kiska , had towing and salvage duties , and aided the distressed Soviet ship " Valery Chkalov " between 15 December and 23 December 1943 . " Cree " was reclassified ATF - 84 , 15 May 1944 . Returning to San Francisco on 21 August 1944 , " Cree " sailed on 1 October to serve as retriever tug for a convoy to Eniwetok , returning to Pearl Harbor on ` 14 November . She cleared on 7 December on another convoy trip to Eniwetok , then continued to Guam and Ulithi on towing duty . She joined the screen of the replenishment group of the 5th Fleet at Ulithi on 8 February 1945 and sortied for the invasion of Iwo Jima , during which she stood by for salvage assignments , until returning to Ulithi to replenish on 5 March . " Cree " arrived off Okinawa on 16 March for salvage operations on the beachheads until 1 July , when she sailed for overhaul at San Pedro Bay , Leyte . Korean War . " Cree " was based at Pearl Harbor for towing and salvage duties throughout the Pacific until the outbreak of the Korean War . Arriving at Yokosuka on 6 July 1950 , she acted as beaching control off Kyuryuhon on 16 and 17 August , transferring salvage equipment to the Korean Navy , buoying swept channels , and supporting the Inchon landings from 15 September to 15 October with salvage and towing services . Returning to Long Beach , California , 16 June for overhaul , " Cree " operated alternately at Pearl Harbor and in the Pacific islands and along the west coast until 4 August 1959 , when she sailed for duty based on Sasebo , Japan , until 19 December . She returned to west coast operations through September 1960 when she sailed for her 1960 - 61 Far Eastern tour of duty . In May 1955 " Cree " participated in Operation Wigwam , an underwater atomic test off of the coast of California . Vietnam . During the Vietnam War " Cree " was part of the " Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club " ( the US 7th Fleet ) with missions including ( but not limited to ) chasing trawlers and towing floating barracks across the Pacific . " Friendly fire " incident . On the morning of 18 January 1978 , " Cree " released the ex - YO - 129 as a target for " live " bombing practice by naval aircraft , while steaming off the coast of southern California . " Cree " then proceeded north to clear the target area , taking her assigned station , but mistakenly became a target when a " Navy jet aircraft " made an attack run on her at 1206 , unleashing three 500 lb bombs on the ship and her crew . One bomb struck the mast and exploded in the air close aboard to starboard , showering the tug with fragments . The second bomb fell along the port side , sliced beneath the ship and exploded underwater off the starboard side , " engulfing " Cree in a wall of water . The third slammed into the ship on the port bow , passing through seven bulkheads in the forward part of the ship , before becoming wedged into the passageway between the chief petty officer ’ s quarters and sick bay , though failing to detonate . The damage to the ship was severe , including holing of the mast , destruction of two life rafts , severing of the emergency power cable and fragment damage above the 01 level . Below decks , the ship ' s gyro was destroyed by the bomb forward , which also damaged the diving locker and bulkheads . The underwater explosion , however , caused the most serious damage , blasting several holes in bulkheads and splitting seams . Motor room B - 2 became " a tangled mass of warped frames , " with equipment " wrenched from mountings and broken lines . " Flooding in excess of 2 , 000 gallons per minute was reported . Going to General Quarters , the crew responded immediately , but during their efforts to save the ship , discovered the live bomb where it wedged forward , just from where the repair party was stationed . Moving aft away from the 500 pounder , the repair party was temporarily relieved by an EOD team from rushed to " Cree " . Within 45 minutes the team was on board and able to defuse the bomb ( first the EOD team called for a ship ' s electrician to tape up wires around the bomb . They were afraid that any current left in the wires might set the bomb off . Once the wires were taped they defused the bomb ) . Seven men of the repair party braved " rising water , leaking fuel and oil from broken lines , " as well as the absence of light , entering Motor Room B - 2 to battle the flooding for two hours before getting it under control . Additional ships rendering assistance included , guided missile destroyer and tug , providing portable pumps , gasoline and " other supplies . " Taken under tow that evening by " John Paul Jones " , which transferred her to " Moctobi " early the next afternoon , " Cree " returned to San Diego on the 19th , her exhausted crew having battled for 27 hours to keep their ship afloat . The ship was struck from the Navy List on 21 April 1978 , and finally sunk as a target on 27 August 1978 .