USS Serrano (ATF-112)

Completing her shakedown in November, Serrano took three barges in tow at Port Hueneme and sailed for Hawaii, arriving at Pearl Harbor on 17 December. She reported to Service Squadron (ServRon) 10 the same day and, on the 23d, joined a westbound convoy. By the end of January 1945, she had delivered yard craft to Eniwetok and Guam. In early February, she moved on to the Palaus and, at mid-month, arrived in San Pedro Bay, Leyte, P.I., with an ARD and a YF in tow. On the 20th, she got underway for the Admiralties and, by the end of the month, was en route back to the Palaus.

For over two months, she continued oceanic towing operations, ranging from the Philippines to the Marianas. From mid-May to mid-June, she provided salvage services in the Ulithi area; then, on the 16th, she sailed for Okinawa.

Serrano arrived in Buckner Bay and joined ServRon 12 on 28 June. Through the end of the war, she conducted salvage operations and provided assistance to battle-damaged ships in the Okinawa-Kerama Retto area; and, at the end of August, joined Tenino (ATF-115) in towing USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) to Guam. She then returned to Okinawa for further occupation duty.

On 25 September, the fleet tug joined Amphibious Group (PhibGroup) 8 at Wakayama, Japan. After three weeks of various duties, including cargo carrying operations, she commenced docking and undocking duties at Nagoya. In early December, she interrupted that work to support the mine detection force then clearing the waters of Ise Wan. At mid-month, she returned to Nagoya.

Serrano remained in the Far East, providing tug, rescue, salvage, and fire fighting services in Japanese, Chinese, Philippine, and Okinawan waters, into the summer of 1946. In August, she headed east and, after delivering tows to Guam and Pearl Harbor, reached California in early October.

Retained on the active list through the 1940s, Serrano operated in the Trust Territories during 1947. In 1948, she returned to the eastern Pacific and, into the summer of 1949, operated in the Hawaiian Islands and off the west coast. She then moved north for operations in the Aleutians before returning to California in February 1950 for inactivation. On 31 May, Serrano was decommissioned and berthed with the Pacific Reserve Fleet at San Francisco.

On 19 November, Serrano departed Hawaii on another western Pacific deployment. In mid-December, she arrived at Subic Bay; and, on the 21st, she sailed for the Republic of Vietnam to collect oceanographic data and plant current meter stations in the Cam Ranh Bay area. Most of January 1966 was spent in the Philippines; but, from 30 January to 16 February, she again operated in the Cam Ranh Bay area. She then participated in survey operations at the mouth of the Bassac River; and, at the end of the month, she returned briefly to the Philippines. In March, she participated in surveys in the Con Son Islands and in the Cap Saint Jacques area; then, at the end of the month, she moved north to the Chu Lai area, where she remained until 9 May.

From Vietnam, Serrano proceeded to Subic Bay and Hong Kong, then headed home, arriving at Pearl Harbor on 8 June. She remained in Hawaii for three months and, in mid-September, proceeded to the Puget Sound area where she conducted survey operations until mid-October. At the end of the month, she was back in Hawaii; and, after survey work there, she prepared for another western Pacific deployment.

Serrano sailed west on 1 January 1967. By the end of the month, she was at Vũng Tàu, whence she proceeded north to begin a six-phased Danang-Hue coastal survey. On 23 February, the work was briefly interrupted as her rescue and assistance party successfully fought an engine room fire on the SS Cyrenian.

During March, she operated out of the Song Cua Dai Junk Base where her medical personnel provided care for the residents of the area.

At the end of April, the ship replenished in the Philippines, then resumed work on the Danang-Hue survey which was completed on 18 July. In late August, she completed her last Vietnamese assignment of the season; and, in September, she sailed for home.

Serrano returned to Pearl Harbor on 29 September, having completed 13,401 survey miles. Leave and upkeep took her into late October; and, from then until 10 February 1968, she was in the shipyard for overhaul. On 29 March, she again sailed west with Maury.

From 13 April to 30 May, Serrano surveyed waters near Guam. On 1 June, she continued west toward Vietnam. Three days later, she was diverted to participate in an unsuccessful four-day search for a downed pilot; and, on the 14th, she rejoined Maury in the Mekong Delta.

With only one interruption, a visit to Hong Kong, the ACS conducted survey operations in Vietnamese waters until 18 August. In early September, she investigated shoals in the South China Sea. On the 11th, she got underway for Japan; and, on the 29th, she sailed for Hawaii.

Seven months later, Serrano left Pearl Harbor for her last deployment. From mid-May to mid-July 1969, she conducted survey operations in the Sagami Wan and Nojima Saki areas off Honshu. In late July, she moved to Kyushu and, through September, operated in the Amakuse Nada area. In October, she returned to the Sagami Wan-Nojima Saki areas; and, on 2 November, she got underway to return to the United States for inactivation.

Serrano arrived at Pearl Harbor on 15 November. On 2 January 1970, she was decommissioned, and her name was struck from the Navy List. On 2 November 1971, she was sold for scrapping to the Tai-Kian Industry Co., Taiwan.

Serrano was awarded one battle star for her World War II service and six campaign stars for her service off Vietnam.