On October 9, 1943 the U.S. Navy commissioned the 205-foot salvage tug Zuni, one of 70 in its class. In early December, the Navy assigned the Zuni to Squadron Two, Third Fleet, and the Zuni sailed westward, towing four cargo vessels to New Hebrides.

Zuni arrived in Pearl Harbor February 17, 1944. In March the ship headed for combat duty in the Southwest Pacific, with barges in tow for Canton Island, one of the Marshall Islands. In mid-May, she towed ARD16 to Kwajelein Atoll and began combat service. On June 24, 1944, Zuni participated in the Tinian operation and then in the Saipan occupation. In July and August, Zuni tugged and towed its way into the hearts of Navy men, earning the nickname, "The Mighty Z."

On December 20, 1944, repairs completed, Zuni towed a disabled merchant ship and troop transport to Ulithi Lagoon.

On December 29, 1944, Zuni began 29 days of operation in support of Task Group 30.8, Third Fleet, off Luzin Island, the Philipines.

She supported US attacks on Luzon, January 6-7; Formosa on January 3-4, 9, 15 and 21; the China coast on January 12 and 16; and Nansei Shoto on January 22. It was during this time period that she towed the light cruiser USS Houston to safety after it got hit by two torpedoes off Taiwan. Soon thereafter, the Zuni towed the torpedoed cruiser USS Reno - they lashed the two vessels together to keep the Reno from capsizing.

On February 22, 1945, Zuni began 31 days of operations in support of the US invasion of Iwo Jima. In one action, she ran hard aground alongside a disabled LST to serve as a causeway so that the LST's vital supplies of ammunition could be offloaded.

The Zuni & LST-944

Zuni then pulled a transport off a sandbar and assisted several broached LSTs and other landing craft. She also assisted in laying submerged fuel pipelines to the island.

On March 23, 1945, while assisting LST 27, Zuni's wire towline snapped and struck and killed MoMM2c James M Byres, USNR of New York, NY, and F1c Frederick F. Pavlovics, of Elizabeth, NJ. These two men are the only fatalities in the ship's long and illustrious career.

With the snapped towline fouling the propellor and the anchor line disabled, Zuni broached on Iwo Jima's "Yellow" beach. The broaching broke her keel and punched a number of holes into her sides.

The Zuni broached on Iwo Jima's Yellow Beach

Zuni was towed off the beach and after temprary repairs headed for a compete overhaul in Pearl Harbor where she finished out her wartime career.

Her wartime achievements were remarkable. In just two years time, Zuni earned four battle stars; participated in four invasions; saved two cruisers, two transports and numerous small craft and other vessels. Admiral "Bull" Halsey awarded the Legion of Merit to her skipper, Lt. Ray E. Chance. In an interesting aside, from the time of her commissioning the Zuni was underway 80% of the time.

On June 29, 1946, Zuni's illustrious naval career came to an end when she was decommissioned from the Naval Service and was commissioned by the US Coast Guard as the USCGC Tamaroa.