USS Baretta
USS Baretta (AN-41/YN-60) was an which served with the U.S. Navy in the western Pacific Ocean theatre of operations during World War II. After surviving war action and Pacific Ocean typhoons, and she returned home safely after the war with one battle star to her credit. Launched in Washington The wooden hulled net layer YN-60 was laid down on 19 December 1942 at Everett, Washington, by the Everett-Pacific Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company; named Baretta on 17 March 1943; launched on 9 October 1943; sponsored by Miss Evelyn Jaramo, the 11-year-old daughter of a shipfitter at the builder's yard; reclassified AN-41 on 20 January 1944; and commissioned at her builder's yard on 18 March 1944. World War II service Assigned to Pacific Ocean operations After fitting out, shakedown training out of San Pedro, Los Angeles, and post shakedown repairs, the net laying ship sailed for Hawaii and arrived at Pearl Harbor on 29 June. On 20 July, the net layer was ordered to report to the Commander, Service Force, Pacific, for duty "in the forward areas" and loaded mooring and net gear into August. Sailing in Task Group (TG) 32.6 on 8 August, Baretta proceeded to the Solomon Islands and entered Gavutu Harbor near Guadalcanal on the 26th. She remained there until getting underway on 4 September to rejoin Task Group 32.6. After taking position in the convoy, Baretta proceeded toward the Palau Islands. The convoy reached Peleliu on 18 September, three days after the initial landings there. After receiving instructions near Orange Beach, Baretta escorted LST-661 to Kossol Passage, arriving on 22 September. There, she took on board the men and equipment of the fleet post office to be established at Peleliu. Underway again on 24 September, she reached that island later in the day and transferred her passengers to Leonard Wood (APA 12) the next morning. Palau Islands operations For the next four months, Baretta maintained net defenses in the Palaus. On 26 September, she commenced working on moorings in Saipan Town Harbor, Angaur, but was interrupted by an enemy air raid and, later by worsening seas that made the anchorage unsafe. In the afternoon of 29 September, she received a request for help from LCT 867, that had fouled a mine with her anchor. Baretta proceeded to the scene and stood by while the landing craft carefully cut her anchor cable and then crept away from the peril. Baretta resumed her work on moorings but, on 1 October, worsening weather forced her to stop. In the midst of a moderate gale the next morning, LCT-404 requested help for an LCM whose ramp had jammed in the down position. Baretta answered the call, towing the craft alongside stern first, and then into the lee of the island off Red Beach. When the LCM's ramp had been freed and secured, the landing craft proceeded under her own power to Red Beach. Later that day, Baretta retrieved an unmanned LCVP adrift in a seaway. She took the landing craft in