The following from the scrapbook of William Guthrie

bottle1.jpg (66173 bytes) bottle2.jpg (67244 bytes) bottle3.jpg (59167 bytes) chilu-1.jpg (98259 bytes)
 

From the scrapbook of Larry Richter

CGC Chilula being towed by the CGC Cherokee to the CG Yard in July 1956 north of Chesapeake Bay Bridge. 
Avoyel was being towed behind Chilula but at this point Avoyel had been turned loose and was picked up 
by a local Balto tug who towed Avoyel the rest of the way into the yard.  Shortly after this picture was 
taken, a yard tug from CG Yard assumed the towing duties of Chilula into the yard.  Notice Chilula is still 
painted grey and notice her 3"50 gun below the  bridge is covered. Our thanks to Larry Richter for 
this picture. Larry reported aboard the Chilula shortly after this 
and was in her commissioning crew on Oct. 3rd 1956.

 

USS Chilula 5 April 1945 commissioning.jpg (54488 bytes)   USS Chilula war diary May 1945.jpg (37168 bytes)

If you look behind the commissioning crew  (picture) you will see a bar.   Near each end of the bar you can see on each side the depth charge racks.  I don't think all the ATF's the Navy built during the war carried depth charges.  The second picture shows the war diary for Chilula and notice the May 9 entry relating to depth charges.  I am not sure if she ever dropped any more during the rest of her Navy career.  She carried sonar and 3 sonarman.  I met two of the sonarman at Chilula's decommissioning when the Coast Guard decommissioned her on 19 July 1991.  A number of USS Chilulas crew were at the Coast Guard Base, Fort Macon, Atlantic Beach when she was decommissioned.
 
The depth charge racks were removed at the CG Yard and the sonar was taken off.  We also removed the 40mm's from the gun tubs aft and replaced them with twin 20mm's.  The 20's on each bridge wing were removed.  The 3" 50 stayed in place.
 

A good way to fish and when they go off what a noise and you can really feel it in the hull.  On the 95 footer CG95307 I was on we carried 8  depth charges in four racks...two racks on each side.  Several times a year we would go offshore about 100 miles east of Cape Henry where the Navy had an ammunition dumping area.  We would do our submarine thing, playing the game and drop those depth charges.  The gunners mate would set them fairly deep and we would be running over 20 knots.  Still when they went off if felt as though the whole boat was coming out of the water.  We also carried a sonarman.

 

 
3 Oct 56 CG Yard Chilula commissioned QM3 Larry raising flag.jpg (75351 bytes)
 Oct 56 CG Yard Chilula commissioned
 QM3 Larry raising flag		 19 July 56 CG85009 towing Chilula..note 40mm covered.jpg (40435 bytes) Chilula tow transfer 19 July 56.jpg (38242 bytes)
 Chilula 1957 Hampton Roads.jpg (65014 bytes)
Chilula 1957 Hampton Roads
19 July 56 CG85009 towing Chilula, note 40mm covered Chilula tow transfer 
19 July 56
19 July 56 Cherokee with Chilula CG85009 yard tug astern Chilula.jpg (40066 bytes)
 August 56 CG Yard ..Chilula & Avoyel.jpg (59718 bytes) Chilula 1961.jpg (62125 bytes) Chilula..CG Yard early 60's.jpg (37661 bytes)
19 July 56 Cherokee with Chilula CG85009 yard tug astern August 56 CG Yard  Chilula & Avoyel Chilula 1961 Chilula CG Yard early 60's
Chilula..May 1957..QM3 Lew Stryker..QM3 Larry Richter.jpg (24665 bytes) chilula 1964 SAR.JPG (26152 bytes) Chilula 1980's CG Base Fort Macon, NC.jpg (53528 bytes) 25_Oct_56_Cmdr_Hutxhins_accepts_Key_to_The_City.jpg (86467 bytes)
Chilula May 1957 QM3 Lew Stryker QM3 Larry Richter Chilula 1964 SAR Chilula 1980's CG Base Fort Macon, NC 25 Oct 56 Cmdr Hutchins accepts Key to The City
Chilula Frying Pan Lite..early 60's.jpg (43598 bytes) Chilula most likely 1958.. Chesapeak Bay.jpg (39643 bytes)

Chilula Frying Pan Light early 60's

 

 Chilula most likely 1958 Chesapeake Bay

 

Paul Magdarz Scrapbook