From: Dictionary of American Fighting Ships

An Indian word meaning "white lily".

(AN - 79: dp. 785 (f.); l. 168'6"; b. 33'10"; dr. 10'10"; s. 12 k.; cpl. 46; a. 1 3"; cl. Cohoes)

Etlah (AN-79) was launched 16 December 1944 by Commercial Iron Works, Portland, Oreg.; sponsored by Mrs. Phyllis I. Kane; and commissioned 16 April 1945, Lieutenant H. J. Stenler, USNR, in command.

From 8 June 1945 to 26 November, Etlah sailed out of San Pedro, Calif., repairing and maintaining antisubmarine nets and conducting salvage operations in the 11th Naval District. She then served at the Net Depot, Tiburon, Calif., testing experimental equipment and giving salvage service in the Oakland estuary. In the spring and summer of 1946, Etlah performed a miscellany of service to Joint Task Force 1, conducting atomic weapons tests at Bikini in Operation "Crossroads". The net tender was overhauled at Bremerton that fall, and on 14 March 1947 was placed out of commission in reserve at Astoria, Oreg.

Etlah was recommissioned 10 August 1951, and after shakedown training, sailed for Yokosuka, Japan, arriving 24 December. Through the remainder of her naval career, she served in the Far East.

During the Korean war, she maintained the nets guarding Tokyo Bay, and worked on the nets at Pusan Harbor and Cheju, Korea. Towing ships and targets off Japan and in the Philippines, launching and recovering radio-controlled drones in gunnery exercises, and serving as target ship for submarines and surface ships were Etlah's usual employment until 16 February 1960, when she sailed from Yokosuka for Pearl Harbor and San Diego, where she was decommissioned 31 May 1960.

Etlah received two battle stars for Korean War service.

Transcribed by Yves HUBERT (hubertypc@aol.fr)