Korean War Operations
With the outbreak of the Korean war, Lipan departed Long Beach, California, for the Orient on 20 June 1950. The tug arrived Yokosuka, Japan, on 15 July and shoved off that afternoon to deliver mail and medical supplies to Task force TF 90 in Korean waters. She called at Hoko Ko, Korea (18–24 July) and returned for harbor services at Yokosuka until 5 September. She then steamed with TF 90 for Inchon Harbor for the brilliant flanking amphibious assault.
As the landing forces swept ashore and caught the North Koreans completely by surprise, the tug cast off her pontoon tows, and began various towing and salvage assignments. A month later she was relieved at Inchon and steamed for Pusan en route to duty along the east coast of Korea. Arriving Riwon Harbor near Wonsan on 1 November Lipan planted channel buoys, retracted 23 damaged LSTs from the beach, and recovered lost anchors in Wonsan Harbor, then steamed north and laid buoys at Hŭngnam Harbor and Songjin Harbor. Returning to Wonsan on 26 November, she left the next day for Sasebo, Japan, and arrived the 30th.
For the next two months the tug towed Army pontoon barges from Inchon to Taechon, Korea, or back to Sasebo. She sailed from Sasebo to Yokohama on 16 February with SS Cecil N. Bean in tow, and steamed independently for Pearl Harbor the 18th, arriving on 1 March.
After a three-month overhaul and towing missions to the Marshall Islands and Subic Bay, she departed Hawaii on 26 November for a six-month tour of duty at Apra Harbor, Guam, then returned to Pearl Harbor on 9 June 1952. For the next eleven months she again operated between Hawaii and the Marshalls. On 2 May 1953 the tug left Pearl Harbor for towing duty between Sasebo and various Korean ports such as Inchon, Pusan, and Wonsan. She returned to Hawaii on 19 November.
Read more about this topic: USS Lipan (AT-85)
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