Yard Tugs (pre-WWII) ~ Shipbuilding History

Yard Tugs (pre-WWII)

(YT, YTB, YTM, YTL) Built or Acquired Before WWII

Most recent update: May 7, 2011.

Yard tugs were initially called harbor tugs and later district harbor tugs. The designation YT was introduced in 1920 and tugs in service at that time were then assigned YT numbers, although not according to any system that I can see. Some of the smaller tugs built at Mare Island (#s 86 thru 101), were originally called Motor Tugs and later designated YMTs. In addition to the numbered tugs listed here, there must have been many more that were disposed-of before 1920, but documenting them must be a project for another year. Complicating this task further, many YTs were later reclassified as YTB-(Big), YTM-(Medium) or YTL-(Little): YTBs were supposed to be >800 hp, YTMs <800 but >400 hp and YTLs <400 hp. Some were reclassified more than once and the records of which were and which weren't are very confusing.

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Name	Originally	Builder	Location		Customer	B	M	L	LDT	Built	Acquired	Notes
Wahneta		City Point IW	Boston MA		US Navy				192	1892		sold 1922
Iwana		City Point IW	Boston MA		US Navy		x		192	1892		sold 1946
Narkeeta		City Point IW	Boston MA		US Navy				192	1892		sold 1926
Unadilla		Mare Island NSY	Vallejo CA	225	US Navy		x		225	1895		sold 1947
Samoset		Norfolk NSY	Portsmouth VA		US Navy		x		225	1897		sold 1947
Penacook		New York NSY	Brooklyn NY		US Navy		x		230	1898		sold 1947
Pawtucket		Mare Island NSY	Vallejo CA	225	US Navy		x		225	1898		scrapped 1947
Pentucket		Boston NSY	Charlestown MA		US Navy				230	1904		scrapped 1947
Sotoyomo		Mare Island NSY	Vallejo CA	225	US Navy		x		225	1904		scuttled 1946
Triton	Douglas H. Thorne	Dialogue & Son	Camden NJ	287	Dougherty & Co.				212	1888	1889	sold 1930
Fortune	Fortune	Tetlow, James	Boston MA						450	1865	1871	sold 1922
Powhatan	Penwood	Maryland Steel	Sparrows Point MD	3	Foard Transportation				194	1892	1898	later Cayuga 1917, scrapped 1928
Hercules	Hercules	Dialogue & Son	Camden NJ	281	P. Wright & Son				198	1888	1898	sold 1937, museum in San Francisco
		Union Iron Works	San Francisco CA	10	Spreckels Bros.				296	1888	1898	later Lively 1918, sold 1930, scrapped 1963
Massasoit	A. W. Booth	Neafie & Levy	Philadelphia PA	909	Moran Towing				202	1898	1898	sold 1937
Modoc	Enterprise	Supple & Martin	Portland OR		American Towing				240	1890	1898	to NDRF 1947
Mohawk	Thomas P. Fowler	Marvel, T. S., & Co.	Newburgh NY		Cornell Steamboat		x		368	1893	1898	sold 1948, reefed 1970
Accomac	El Toro	Newport News SB	Newport News VA		Southern Pacific RR		x		187	1891	1898	later Nottoway 1918, sold 1946
Sioux	P. H. Wise	Neafie & Levy	Philadelphia PA	849					155	1892	1898	later Nyack 1918, sold 1921
Pontiac	Right Arm	Maglehan, Peter	Athens NY						401	1891	1898	later Passaic 1918, sold 1922
Pawnee	John Dwight	Rodermond & Co.	Tompkins Cove NY		George T. Moon				275	1896	1898	sold 1922
Rocket	Rocket	Pusey & Jones	Wilmington DE	301					206	1899	1911	sold 1933
Tacoma	Hortense	Dialogue & Son	Camden NJ	326	O'Connor & Smoot				130	1893	1898	later Sebago 1900, scrapped 1937
Tecumseh	Edward Luckenbach	Dialogue & Son	Camden NJ	338	Luckenbach & Co.		x		214	1896	1898	to NDRF 1946
Vigilant	George W. Pride	Cramp SB	Philadelphia PA	232	Spreckels Bros.				300	1883	1898	sold 1928
Choctaw	C. G. Coyle	Neafie & Levy	Philadelphia PA	857	W. G. Coyle				152	1892	1898	later Wicomico 1918, in collision and scrapped 1940
Wompatuk	Atlas	Harlan & Hollingsworth	Wilmington DE						323	1886	1898	later YO-64 1941, scuttled 1942
Advance	Advance	Davis, M. M.	Solomons MD						167	1912	1918	sold 1934
Barnett	Barnett	Dialogue & Son	Camden NJ	438	Steel Towage & Wrecking				194	1911	1917	sold 1936 as Richard Simmons, Raymond Card 1941, scrapped 1948
	Robert Rogers	Brown, A. C. & Son	Tottenville NY						179	1904	1917	later Bouker No. 2, acquired as SP-1275, sold 1922
Saco	Alexander Brown	Brown, A. C. & Son	Tottenville NY		Aransas Dock				119	1912	1918	acquired as SP-2725, sold 1927
Catawba	Howard Greene	Baltimore DD & SB	Baltimore MD	85			x		147	1917	1918	sold 1946
Mendota	Concord	Hillman SB & E	Philadelphia PA		Staples Transportation				353	1898	1917	later Muscotah 1932, sold 1937
Dreadnaught	Dreadnaught	Union Iron Works	San Francisco CA	171	Rolph Nav.				450	1918	1918	later YNG-21 1940, destroyed 1944
Nausett	Carl R. Gray	Chas Rhodes & Sons	Baltimore MD						115	1918	1918	sold 1933
Francis B. Hackett	Francis B. Hackett	Johnston Bros.	Ferrysburg MI				x		290	1917	1917	later Shenandoah 1920, Choptank 1923, sold as Gloria St. Philip 1969, Choptank 1979, Admiral 1989, scrapped 2006
Yuma	Asher J. Hudson	Dialogue & Son	Camden NJ	307	Alabama Coal Tpt.				136	1891	1918	sold 1921 as Marathon
John L. Lawrence	John L. Lawrence	Roach, John, & Sons	New London CT		Menhaden Products				150	1877	1917	sold 1921
Navigator	Navigator	Dialogue & Son	Camden NJ	341	J. Needham	x			470	1898	1917	to NDRF 1947
Nonpareil	Nonpareil	Palmer, Robert, & Sons	Noank CT		Merchants & Miners				167	1904	1917	sold 1921
Chase S. Osborn	Chase S. Osborn	Johnston Bros.	Ferrysburg MI		Frank Perry				492	1906	1918	sold 1921
Penobscot	Dauntless	Risdon Iron Works	San Francisco CA		Spreckles Bros.	x			415	1904	1917	ex-Luckenbach No. 5, sold as Mary B, scrapped 1947
Pocomoke	Pocomoke	Brewster Bros.	Baltimore MD		Menhaden Products				139	1902	1917	returned to owner 1918
Underwriter	Underwriter	Dialogue & Son	Camden NJ	214	N.O. Pilots				170	1881	1918	later Adirondack 1920, sold 1922
James Woolley	James Woolley	Lockwood Mfg.	East Boston MA		Commercial Tow Boat Co				92	1899	1918	struck 1936, scuttled 1963
Harbor Tug No. 46		Charleston NSY	Charleston SC		US Navy				215	1919		sold in the 1920s
Harbor Tug No. 47		Charleston NSY	Charleston SC		US Navy				215	1919		sold in the 1920s
Harbor Tug No. 48		New Orleans NSY	New Orleans LA		US Navy				215	1919		sold in the 1920s
Harbor Tug No. 49		New Orleans NSY	New Orleans LA		US Navy				215	1919		sold in the 1920s
Harbor Tug No. 50		New Orleans NSY	New Orleans LA		US Navy				215	1919		sold in the 1920s
Harbor Tug No. 51		Chance Marine	Annapolis MD		US Navy				215	1919		to USCG 1919 as Chincoteague, sold 1925
Harbor Tug No. 52		Chance Marine	Annapolis MD		US Navy				215	1919		to USCG 1919 as Choptank, sold 1925
Harbor Tug No. 53		Clayton SB	Clayton NY		US Navy				215	1919		sold in the 1920s
Harbor Tug No. 54		Clayton SB	Clayton NY		US Navy				215	1919		sold in the 1920s
Harbor Tug No. 55		Clayton SB	Clayton NY		US Navy				215	1919		sold in the 1920s
Harbor Tug No. 56		Eastern Shore SB	Sharpstown MD		US Navy				215	1919		to USCG 1919 as Chenango, sold 1924
Harbor Tug No. 57		Eastern Shore SB	Sharpstown MD		US Navy				215	1919		sold in the 1920s
Harbor Tug No. 58					US Navy				215	1919		sold in the 1920s
Harbor Tug No. 59			Milwaukee WI		US Navy				215	1919		to USCG 1919 as Chautauqua, sold 1934
Harbor Tug No. 60			Milwaukee WI		US Navy				215	1919		to USCG 1919 as Chippewa, sold 1935
Harbor Tug No. 61		Greenport Basin	Greenport NY		US Navy				215	1919		sold in the 1920s
Harbor Tug No. 62		Hiltebrant DD	Kingston NY		US Navy				215	1919		to USCG 1920 as Chattahoochee, sold 1924 as A. G. Laun
Harbor Tug No. 63		Hiltebrant DD	Kingston NY		US Navy				215	1919		sold 1922 as Claire A. Moran
Harbor Tug No. 64		Hiltebrant DD	Kingston NY		US Navy				215	1919		sold 1921 as National
Harbor Tug No. 65		Hiltebrant DD	Kingston NY		US Navy				215	1919		to USCG 1919 as Chicopee, sold 1935 as Harry M. Lee
Harbor Tug No. 66		Jacob, Robert	City Island NY		US Navy				215	1919		to USCG 1920 as Chulahoma, sold 1933 as Julia C. Moran
Harbor Tug No. 67		Jacob, Robert	City Island NY		US Navy				215	1919		sold in the 1920s
Harbor Tug No. 68		Jacob, Robert	City Island NY		US Navy				215	1919		sold in the 1920s
Harbor Tug No. 69		Jacob, Robert	City Island NY		US Navy				215	1919		sold in the 1920s
Harbor Tug No. 70		Jacob, Robert	City Island NY		US Navy				215	1919		sold in the 1920s
Harbor Tug No. 71		Luders Marine	Stamford CT		US Navy				215	1919		sold in the 1920s
Harbor Tug No. 72		Luders Marine	Stamford CT		US Navy				215	1919		sold in the 1920s
Harbor Tug No. 73		Luders Marine	Stamford CT		US Navy				215	1919		sold in the 1920s
Harbor Tug No. 74		Luders Marine	Stamford CT		US Navy				215	1919		sold as Margaret A. Moran
Harbor Tug No. 75		Mathis Yacht	Camden NJ	92	US Navy				215	1919		to USCG 1919 as Chowan, sold 1924
Harbor Tug No. 76		Mathis Yacht	Camden NJ	93	US Navy				215	1919		sold in the 1920s
Harbor Tug No. 77		New York Yacht	Morris Heights NY		US Navy				215	1919		sold in the 1920s
Harbor Tug No. 78		New York Yacht	Morris Heights NY		US Navy				215	1919		sold in the 1920s
Harbor Tug No. 79		New York Yacht	Morris Heights NY		US Navy				215	1919		sold in the 1920s
Harbor Tug No. 80		New York Yacht	Morris Heights NY		US Navy				215	1919		sold in the 1920s
Harbor Tug No. 81		New York Yacht	Morris Heights NY		US Navy				215	1919		sold in the 1920s
Harbor Tug No. 82		Vinyard SB	Milford DE		US Navy				215	1919		sold in the 1920s
Harbor Tug No. 83		Vinyard SB	Milford DE		US Navy				215	1919		sold in the 1920s
Harbor Tug No. 84		Wheeler SB	Brooklyn NY		US Navy				215	1919		sold in the 1920s
Harbor Tug No. 85		Wheeler SB	Brooklyn NY		US Navy				215	1919		to USCG 1920 as Chillicothe, sold 1925
Harbor Tug No. 86		Mare Island NSY	Vallejo CA		US Navy			x	54	1919		to NDRF 1947
Harbor Tug No. 87		Mare Island NSY	Vallejo CA		US Navy			x	54	1919		to NDRF 1947
Harbor Tug No. 88		Mare Island NSY	Vallejo CA		US Navy			x	54	1919		to NDRF 1947
Harbor Tug No. 89		Mare Island NSY	Vallejo CA		US Navy			x	54	1919		to NDRF 1947
Harbor Tug No. 90		Pearl Harbor NSY	Honolulu HI		US Navy			x	54	1919		scrapped 1944
Harbor Tug No. 91		Mare Island NSY	Vallejo CA		US Navy			x	54	1919		to NDRF 1947
Harbor Tug No. 92		Mare Island NSY	Vallejo CA		US Navy			x	54	1919		to NDRF 1947
Harbor Tug No. 93		Mare Island NSY	Vallejo CA		US Navy			x	54	1919		to NDRF 1947
Harbor Tug No. 94		Pearl Harbor NSY	Honolulu HI		US Navy			x	54	1919		to NDRF 1947
Harbor Tug No. 95		Mare Island NSY	Vallejo CA		US Navy			x	54	1919		to NDRF 1947
Harbor Tug No. 96		Mare Island NSY	Vallejo CA		US Navy			x	54	1919		to NDRF 1947
Harbor Tug No. 97		Mare Island NSY	Vallejo CA		US Navy			x	54	1919		later YH-1
Harbor Tug No. 98		Mare Island NSY	Vallejo CA		US Navy			x	54	1919		to NDRF 1947
Harbor Tug No. 99		Mare Island NSY	Vallejo CA		US Navy			x	54	1919		to NDRF 1947
Harbor Tug No. 100		Mare Island NSY	Vallejo CA		US Navy			x	54	1919		later YH-2
Harbor Tug No. 101		Mare Island NSY	Vallejo CA		US Navy			x	54	1919		later YH-3
Alida	Alida	Pusey & Jones	Wilmington DE	323					79	1905	1912	sold 1921
Balanga	Balanga										1898	captured at Cavite, struck 1921
Banaag		Whampoa Dock	Hong Kong, HK		US Navy				125	1911		lost at Olongapo 1942
Barcelo	Barcelo	Chantier Normand	Le Havre, France						100	1886	1898	captured at Cavite, sold 1922
Christine		Whampoa Dock	Hong Kong, HK		US Navy				125	1902		later YFB-13, sold 1935
Iona	Iona										1898	captured at Cavite, lost at Cavite 1942
Mercedes	Mercedes										1898	captured at Cavite, scuttled 1942
Peoria	Philadelphia	Neafie & Levy	Philadelphia PA	910	City of Philadelphia				487	1898	1898	sold 1922
Uncas	Walter J. Luckenbach	Dialogue & Son	Camden NJ	310	Luckenbach SS				441	1893	1898	sold 1922 as Joseph D. Wood, Henry W. Card, Relief
Delaware	Delaware	Tull, E. James	Pocomoke City MD		Delaware Fish Oil Co.				242	1913	1917	sold 1935
		Union Iron Works	San Francisco CA				x		270	1919	1925	struck 1947
Diligent	Diligent	Smith, Leathem D., SB	Sturgeon Bay WI		USSB				177	1919	1925	struck 1935
Choctaw	Sampson	Northwest Eng.	Green Bay WI		USSB				177	1919	1926	sold 1937 as St. George
Reindeer	Reindeer	Chance Marine	Eastport MD		USSB		x		177	1920	1931	sold 1945
Vaga	General Weeks		Shanghai, China		US Army				529	1910	1930	scuttled off Corregidor 1942
Harbor Tug No.117		Mare Island NSY	Vallejo CA		US Navy			x	54	1932		to NDRF 1947
Harbor Tug No.118	SMB 3197	Mare Island NSY	Vallejo CA		US Navy			x	54	1917	1932	to NDRF 1947
Geronimo		Boston NSY	Charlestown MA		US Navy		x		270	1933		sold 1948
Stallion	Stallion	Chance Marine	Eastport MD		USSB		x		177	1920	1931	sold 1945
Arapaho		Seattle Construction	Seattle WA	79	US Navy				575	1914		sold 1937
Tillamook		Seattle Construction	Seattle WA	81	US Navy				575	1914		sold 1947
Wando		Charleston NSY	Charleston SC		US Navy	x			575	1917		ex-AT-17, sold 1947
Chemung		Norfolk NSY	Portsmouth VA		US Navy				575	1917		scrapped 1937
Undaunted	Undaunted	Union Iron Works	San Francisco CA	172	Rolph Nav.				833	1918	1918	to NDRF 1947
Challenge	L. Luckenbach	Dialogue & Son	Camden NJ	296	Luckenbach SS		x		346	1889	1918	ex-Defiance 1905, struck 1946
Patriot	Patriot	Defoe BW	Bay City MI	89	USCG				210	1926	1936	YP-69 1938, to NDRF 1947
Powhatan		Boston NSY	Charlestown MA		US Navy		x		406	1938		scrapped 1972
Osceola		Charleston NSY	Charleston SC		US Navy		x		222	1938		scrapped 1973
		Pearl Harbor NSY	Honolulu HI		US Navy		x			1939		sold 1947
Massasoit		Charleston NSY	Charleston SC		US Navy		x		222	1939		scrapped 1973
Harbor Tug No. 132		Charleston NSY	Charleston SC		US Navy		x		222	1938		to France 1944 as Monette
Narkeeta		Mare Island NSY	Vallejo CA		US Navy		x		250	1939		to NDRF 1947
Wahneta		Mare Island NSY	Vallejo CA		US Navy		x		250	1939		to NDRF 1947
Cahokia	Bayside	Providence Eng	City Island NY		USSB	x			510	1920	1921	scrapped 1953
Tamaroa	Bartolome	Bethlehem Steel	Elizabethport NJ	2134	USSB	x			705	1919	1936	ex-USCG, sunk in collision 1947
J. M. Woodworth	J. M. Woodworth	Neafie & Levy	Philadelphia PA						135	1903	1937	ex-USPHS, sold 1939