USS Molala ( ATF - 106 ) USS " Molala " ( AT - 106 / ATF - 106 ) was a US Navy tugboat , named after the Molala people of Oregon . She was laid down as AT ‑ 106 on 26 July 1942 , by United Engineering Co . , of Alameda , California ; launched 23 December 1942 ; sponsored by Miss Molly Fay ; and commissioned 29 September 1943 , with Lt . Rudolph L . Ward in command . Service history . Following shakedown off California , " Molala " steamed to Hawaii , arriving at Pearl Harbor 14 December 1943 . Between February and June 1944 , she operated from the Marshall Islands , towing damaged ships to Pearl Harbor . During that time , she was reclassified ATF ‑ 106 , effective 15 May . After taking part in the Battle of Saipan , she continued towing and salvage operations between the Marianas and Gilberts , returning 2 September 1944 to Pearl Harbor . Assigned to the Third Fleet , " Molala " was involved in the Battle of Luzon in November 1944 . She departed Ulithi 29 December , supporting Third Fleet China Sea operations , returning 27 January 1945 . Reassigned to the Fifth Fleet , she joined a carrier group in February 1945 , striking at Tokyo in support of the Iwo Jima invasion . She arrived Ulithi 7 March with in tow , and four days later fought a fire on . For almost a month she rendered valuable assistance to the Okinawa invasion forces , performing her duties despite the threat of Kamikaze suicide attacks . She departed Kerama Retto 6 May 1945 , and spent the next three months between the Philippines and Marianas . She arrived Japan 4 September 1945 for occupation duty before returning to the West Coast . Between 1947 and 1952 , she was assigned duties in the Hawaiian Islands , Alaska , and WESTPAC . In 1953 she steamed to Korea , to aid in the struggle against Communist aggression , arriving in October . She conducted diving operations until the cessation of hostilities . For the next three years she operated off Alaska and the West Coast . She steamed to the Far East 4 February 1957 , returning 19 July to San Diego . " Molala " spent the next seven years making regular deployments to northern and western $ 3 waters . In September 1964 , she patrolled the troubled waters off South Vietnam returning to Vietnam in the winter of 1965 to carry out salvage work before steaming to the West Coast the following year . She departed San Diego 4 January 1967 for WESTPAC duty , during which time she again entered Vietnamese waters , returning 29 July to San Diego . She departed San Diego April 1968 , for another tour of duty in the Far East , and operated off Japan into 1969 . In 1975 , USS " Molala " won the Pacific Fleet ' s Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award . On 1 August 1978 , she was decommissioned , stricken from the Naval Register , and sold to Mexico under the Security Assistance Program . In Mexican service , whe was named ARM " Otomi " ( A - 17 ) , and later renamed ARM " Kukulkan " ( A - 52 ) . Honors and awards . Molala received five battle stars for World War II service , three for Korean service , and four campaign stars for Vietnam War service . See also . List of Auxiliaries of the United States Navy : Fleet Ocean Tugs ( ATF , T - ATF )