USS Achigan (YTB-218) alongside an unidentified ship, date and location unknown. US Navy photo for the US Navy Memorial collection. | |
History | |
---|---|
United States | |
Name | Achigan |
Namesake | Algonquian Ashigan (Smallmouth bass) |
Builder | W. A. Robinson, Ipswich, Massachusetts |
Laid down | 23 July 1944 |
Launched | 4 October 1944 |
In service | 9 January 1945 |
Out of service | 1957 |
Reclassified | YTB-218, 15 May 1944 |
Identification |
|
Fate | Disposed, 1957 |
General characteristics [1] | |
Class and type | Cahto-class large harbor tug |
Displacement | 410 long tons (420 t) |
Length | 110 ft (34 m) |
Beam | 27 ft (8.2 m) |
Draft | 11 ft 4 in (3.45 m) |
Installed power | 1,000 shp (750 kW) |
Propulsion |
|
Speed | 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph) |
Complement | 12 |
Armament | 2 × .50-caliber machine guns |
USS Achigan (YT/YTB-218) was a Cahto-class large harbor tug in the service of the United States Navy. A French-Canadian rendering of the word ashigan which, in Chippewa and Algonquian dialects, is the name of the smallmouth bass.
Achigan (YT-218) was laid down on 23 July 1943, at Ipswich, Massachusetts, by W. A. Robinson, Inc.; reclassified a large harbor tug YTB-218 on 15 May 1944; launched on 4 October 1944; and placed in service on 9 January 1945. [2]
Assigned to the 4th Naval District, Achigan spent most of her naval career at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. On the afternoon of 8 January 1946, she sank at Philadelphia, as a result of a collision with General J. C. Breckinridge (AP-176). Later salvaged, the tug returned to service at Philadelphia, in mid-1947. Achigan served there until the summer of 1956, when she was transferred to the 6th Naval District. The meager record of her service indicates that the tug served in the 6th Naval District into 1957, and was disposed of later that year. [2]
USS Pocahontas (YT/YTB/YTM-266), was a type V2-ME-A1 harbor tug that entered service in the United States Navy in 1943, and was sold in 1976. She was the third ship to bear the name Pocahontas.
USS Awatobi (YTB-264) was a harbor tugboat acquired by the United States Navy during the close of World War II. She was outfitted with two .50-caliber machine guns and assigned to the San Francisco Bay area where she provided tug services, and other harbor services as required.
USS Nokomis (YT-142/YTB-142/YTM-142) was a Woban-class harbor tug built in Bremerton, Wash, and assigned to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in 1940. Nokomis was present during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941. She was the first vessel on scene at the USS Arizona, and was called off by the officers on deck because of the imminent explosion of the battery below deck. It then left and helped beach the USS Nevada, with Hoga (YT-146), and YT-153. The beaching of the Nevada saved Pearl Harbor's mouth from being blocked. After that the USS Nokomis fought fires and dewatered the battleship USS California, for 3 days. This effort made the California salvageable, to be recommissioned again later in the war. Nokomis was also the last vessel to move the surviving YC-699 barge prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Post-war she continued serving Pearl Harbor ships until she was decommissioned in May 1973, and eventually sold for "scrap" to Crowley, in San Francisco. She was renamed Sea Serpent and served many years in the San Francisco Bay as a tug and fire boat. In 1989, after the Loma Prieta earthquake in the SF Bay area, Nokomis and Hoga fought fires alongside each other again.
USS Penobscot (SP-982/YT-42/YTB-42) was a commercial harbor tugboat purchased by the U.S. Navy at the start of World War I. Penobscot performed her towing services for the 5th Naval District on the U.S. East Coast, and continued to do so for the 3rd Naval District through the end of World War II. She was finally retired from Navy service in 1947.
USS Wenonah (YT-148/YTB-148/YTM-148) was a Woban-class district harbor tug which served during World War II in California ports, and continued her service until she was struck by the Navy in 1974. On 17 August 2009, the Wenonah sank while berthed at Treasure Island, CA, and was raised by the floating crane Left Coast Lifter on 28 August 2009.
USS Kittaton was a Sassaba-class district harbor tug that served the U.S. Navy at the end of World War II. She served in the Pacific Ocean, often in the Japan and Philippine Islands area and was eventually struck from the Navy list at an unspecified date.
USS Tensaw (YT-418/YTB-418/YTM-418) was a Sassaba-class district harbor tug that served the United States Navy at the end of World War II. She remained in the Pacific Ocean to support the U.S. Pacific Fleet during the Korean War, and continued to serve until she was struck in 1967.
The second USS Wando, later YT-17, later YT-123, later YTB-123, was a United States Navy tug in commission from 1917 to 1946.
The third USS Osceola (YT-129), previously USS YT-129, later YTB-129, later YTM-129, was a United States Navy harbor tug commissioned in 1938 and sold for scrapping in 1973.
USS Waneta (YT-384), later YTB-384, later YTM-384, was a United States Navy harbor tug in commission from 1944 to 1946 and from 1953 to 1974.
USS Wannalancet (YTB-385), projected as YT-385, later YTM-385, was a United States Navy harbor tug in commission from 1944 to 1946.
USS Washakie (YTB-386), laid down as YT-386, later YTM-386, was a United States Navy tug in commission from 1944 to 1946 and from 1953 to probably 1975.
USS Evea (YT-458), originally the sixth USS Resolute (YT-458), later YTB-458, was a United States Navy tug in commission from 1943 to 1944.
USS Hiawatha (YT-265), later YTB-265, later YTM-265, was a type V2-ME-A1 harbor tug that entered service in the United States Navy in 1942, and was sold in 1987. She was the third ship to bear the name Hiawatha.
Manhattan (YTB‑779/YT-800) is a United States Navy Natick-class large harbor tug named for Manhattan, New York.
USS Ala (YT-139) was a United States Navy yard tug laid down on 23 September 1939 at Bremerton, Washington, by the Puget Sound Navy Yard; launched on 6 November 1939; and completed on 11 March 1940.
USS Alamingo (YT-227) was laid down on 13 April 1944 at Camden, New Jersey, by the Mathis Yacht Building Co.; reclassified a large harbor tug and redesignated YTB-227 on 15 May 1944; launched on 21 October 1944; and placed in service on 19 February 1945.
USS Menoquet (YTM-256) was laid down as YT‑256 by Anderson and Cristofani, San Francisco, California 11 September 1943; named Menoquet 5 January 1944; launched 5 February 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Alfred Cristofani; reclassified YTB‑256 on 15 May 1944; and completed and placed in service at Mare Island, California., 7 June 1944. Harbor tugs (YT) were named after American Indian tribes.
USS Cahto (YT/YTB-215) was the lead ship of the Cahto-class large harbor tug in the service of the United States Navy.
The Type V ship is a United States Maritime Commission (MARCOM) designation for World War II tugboats. Type V was used in World War II, Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Type V ships were used to move ships and barges. Type V tugboats were made of either steel or wood hulls. There were four types of tugboats ordered for World War II. The largest type V design was the sea worthy 186-foot (57 m) long steel hull, V4-M-A1. The V4-M-A1 design was used by a number of manufacturers; a total of 49 were built. A smaller steel hull tugboat was the 94-foot (29 m) V2-ME-A1; 26 were built. The largest wooden hull was the 148-foot (45 m) V3-S-AH2, of which 14 were built. The smaller wooden hull was the 58-foot (18 m) V2-M-AL1, which 35 were built. Most V2-M-AL1 tugboats were sent to the United Kingdom for the war efforts under the lend-lease act. The Type V tugs served across the globe during World War II including: Pacific War, European theatre, and in the United States. SS Farallon, and other Type V tugs, were used to help built Normandy ports, including Mulberry harbour, on D-Day, 6 June 1944, and made nine round trips to Normandy to deliver Phoenix breakwaters.