From: Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
USS Choctaw (ATF-70)/ ARC Pedro de Heredia (RM-72) 5KLE
Choctaw:An Indian tribe, formerly of Alabama and Mississippi, now resident in Oklahoma.
AT - 70: dp. 1,240 l. 205' b. 38'6"
dr. 15'4" s. 16 k. cpl. 85 a. 1 x 3''
cl. Cherokee
The fifth Choctaw (AT-70) was launched 18 October 1942 by Charleston Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Charleston, S.C.; sponsored by Mrs. L. Cordell; commissioned 21 April 1943, Lieutenant J. D. Garland in command; and reported to the Atlantic Fleet.
From 17 June 1943 to 8 May 1944, Choctaw served at Bermuda, where she aided assembling convoys and new ships undergoing training with tug and target-towing services. Putting to sea 8 May, she was reclassified ATF-70, 15 May, and reached Oran 19 May to take Holder (DE-401) in tow for New York City, where she delivered her tow 9 June. She returned to her duties at Bermuda until 22 July, when she sailed for ports in Wales to take two LSTs in tow for New York, arriving 30 September.
After overhaul at Norfolk, Choctaw sailed for tug duty at St. John's and Argentia, Newfoundland, between 20 November 1944 and 8 December, when she sailed to rendezvous with Huron (PF-19). She took the collision-damaged ship in tow for Bermuda and Charleston, and returned to Newfoundland for service between 3 January 1945 and 14 March. She then operated off the east coast and in the Caribbean on salvage duty and in towing targets until 15 October 1946, when she arrived at Orange, Tex. There she was placed in commission in reserve 1 February 1947, and out of commission in reserve 11 March 1947.