Editing Template:USS Molala (section)

==Service history== 
Following [[Shakedown cruise|shakedown]] off [[California]], ''Molala'' steamed to [[Hawaii]], arriving at [[Pearl Harbor]] 14 December 1943. Between February and June 1944, she operated from the [[Marshall Islands]], towing damaged ships to Pearl Harbor. During that time, she was reclassified ATF‑106, effective 15 May. After taking part in the [[Battle of Saipan]], she continued towing and [[Marine salvage|salvage]] operations between the [[Marianas]] and [[Gilberts]], returning 2 September 1944 to Pearl Harbor. Assigned to the [[United States Third Fleet|Third Fleet]], ''Molala'' was involved in the [[Battle of Luzon]] in November 1944. She departed [[Ulithi]] 29 December, supporting Third Fleet [[China Seas|China Sea]] operations, returning 27 January 1945.
 
Reassigned to the [[United States Fifth Fleet|Fifth Fleet]], she joined a [[carrier group]] in February 1945, striking at [[Tokyo]] in support of the [[Battle of Iwo Jima|Iwo Jima]] invasion. She arrived Ulithi 7 March with {{USS|Yarnall|DD-541}} in tow, and four days later fought a fire on {{USS|Randolph|CV-15}}. For almost a month she rendered valuable assistance to the [[Invasion of Okinawa|Okinawa invasion forces]], performing her duties despite the threat of [[Kamikaze]] suicide attacks. She departed [[Kerama Retto]] 6 May 1945, and spent the next three months between the [[Philippines]] and Marianas. She arrived Japan 4 September 1945 for [[Military occupation|occupation duty]] before returning to the [[West Coast of the United States|West Coast]].
 
Between 1947 and 1952, she was assigned duties in the [[Hawaiian Islands]], [[Alaska]], and WESTPAC. In 1953 she steamed to [[Korea]], to aid in the [[Korean War|struggle against Communist aggression]], arriving in October. She conducted [[Naval diving#Military and naval diving|diving]] operations until the cessation of hostilities. For the next three years she operated off Alaska and the West Coast. She steamed to the [[Far East]] 4 February 1957, returning 19 July to [[San Diego]].
 
''Molala'' spent the next seven years making regular deployments to northern and western [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]] waters. In September 1964, she patrolled the troubled waters off [[South Vietnam]] returning to Vietnam in the winter of 1965 to carry out salvage work before steaming to the West Coast the following year. She departed San Diego 4 January 1967 for WESTPAC duty, during which time she again entered Vietnamese waters, returning 29 July to San Diego. She departed San Diego April 1968, for another tour of duty in the Far East, and operated off [[Japan]] into 1969.

In 1975, USS ''Molala'' won the Pacific Fleet's [[Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award]].

On 1 August 1978, she was decommissioned, stricken from the [[Naval Register]], and sold to [[Mexico]] under the [[Security Assistance Program]]. In Mexican service, who was named ARM ''Otomi'' (A-17), and later renamed ARM ''Kukulkan'' (A-52). She was afloat as of 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=2429871#|title=ARM OTOMI ARE01|website=ShipSpotting|access-date=10 May 2017}}</ref>