Type V ship

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 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 V2-ME-A1; 26 were built. The largest wooden hull was the V3-S-AH2, of which 14 were built. The smaller wooden hull was the 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.

Tugboats are used to maneuver vessels and barges by pushing or towing them. Tugs are needed to move vessels that either should not move by themselves, such as large ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal, or those that can not move by themselves, like as barges, disabled ships, or log rafts. Tugboats are powerful for their small size and are strongly built. Early tugboats used steam engines, but most have diesel engines now. Many tugboats have firefighting water cannons, allowing them to assist in firefighting, especially in harbors. Some minesweepers like , and were converted to ocean tugs for the war.

Ships in class

V2-ME-A1

Named for small US ports. They had steel hulls, with a displacement of , long, with a beam of , and a draft of . Many had Enterprise or Alco diesel engines that ranged from with electric drives. They were classified the in US Navy service, with an original designation of YT, "District Harbor Tug". On 15 May 1944, they were redesignated YTB, "District Harbor Tug, Large", before finally being designated YTM, "Harbor Tug, Medium", in February 1962. The 26 V2-ME-A1's were built by six different builders; Birchfield Shipbuilding & Boiler Co., Inc., Tacoma, Washington, 6 tugs; Canulette Shipbuilding, Slidell, Louisiana, 4 tugs; Calumet Shipyard & Drydock, Chicago, Illinois, 5 tugs; Ira. S. Bushey & Sons, Brooklyn, New York, 5 tugs; General Ship & Engine Works, East Boston, Massachusetts, 2 tugs; and Brunswick Marine Construction Corporation, Brunswick, Georgia, 4 tugs.

V4-M-A1

Named after lighthouses, the V4-M-A1's were the largest and most powerful tugs in the world when they were built in 1943. They had steel hulls, with a displacement of , long, with a beam of , and a draft of . The V4-M-A1 had a maximum speed of . There were two engine manufacturers: National Supply Company, with 8–cylinder sets of , and the Enterprise Engine & Trading Company, with 6–cylinders and power. The V4-M-A1's were operated by Moran Towing & Transportation, in New York, on behalf of the War Shipping Administration.
Built by: Avondale Marine, in Westego, Louisiana, General Ships & Engine, in East Boston, Pennsylvania Shipyards, in Beaumont, Texas, Globe Shipbuilding, in Superior, Wisconsin, Froemming Brothers, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Pendleton Shipbuilding, in New Orleans, Louisiana.
*''Seguin'', scrapped 1976
*''Sand Key'', scrapped 1977
*''Sanibel Island'', scrapped 1972
*''Sabine Pass'', helped with Normandy landings, Scrapped 1978
*''Point Loma'', scrapped 1972
*''Anacapa'', scrapped 1973
*''Point Vicente'', sold to Mexico, 1969, renamed ''Huitilopochtli'' (A 51)
*''Point Arguello'', scrapped 1973
*''Matagorda'', sank 1946
*''Aransas Pass'', scrapped 1973
*''Sombrero Key'', sold to Argentina, 1965, renamed ''Thompson'', scrapped
*''Dry Tortugas'', sold to Argentina, 1965, renamed ''Goyena'', scrapped
*''Southwest Pass'', scrapped 1973
*''Montauk Point'', sold to Mexico, 1969, renamed ''Quetzalcoatl'' (A 12)
*''Moose Peak'', helped with Normandy landings, sold to Mexico, 1969, sank 1974
*''Boon Island'', sank 1976
*''Gay Head'', helped with Normandy landings, scrapped 1977
*''Bodie Island'', helped with Normandy landings, scrapped 1973
*''Great Isaac'', helped with Normandy landings, sank 1947, collision with Norwegian freighter ''Bandeirante''
*''Tybee'', scrapped 1978
*''Point Sur'', scrapped 1974
*''Farallon'', used to build Normandy port on D-Day, 6 June 1944, made 9 round trips to Normandy, sold to Mexico, 1969, scrapped 1978
*''Point Cabrillo'', scrapped 1974
*''Trinidad Head'', helped with Normandy landings, Scrapped 1969
*''Scotch Cap'', scrapped
*''Watch Hill'', scrapped 1973
*''Wood Island'', scrapped 1973
*''Sands Point'', scrapped 1982
*''Point Judith'', scrapped 1978
*''Black Rock'', helped with Normandy landings, Scrapped 1969
*''Sankaty Head'', helped with Normandy landings, Scrapped 1978
*''Yaqina Head'', sold private 1971, scrapped
*''Bald Island'', scrapped 1973
*''Fire Island'', scrapped 1972
*''Libby Island'', sold private 1971, scrapped
*''St. Simon'', scrapped 1977
*''Petit Manan'', scrapped 1976
*''Burnt Island'', sold too Mexico 1969, scrapped 1979
*''Stratford Point'', scrapped 1978
*''Two Harbors'', scrapped 1972
*''White Shoal'', sold private 1975, scrapped
*''Cubits Gap'', scrapped 1976
*''Hillsboro Inlet'', helped with Normandy landings, Scrapped 1977
*''Jupiter Inlet'', sold private 1971, scrapped
*''Pigeon Point'', sold too Mexico, 1969, scrapped 1970
*''Point Arena'', scrapped 1976
*''Bayou St. John'', scrapped 1977
*''Mobile Point'', sank 1944
*''Race Point'', scrapped 1972

V3-S-AH2

Some were classed as YTB-"District Harbor Tug Large". A Douglas fir wood hull ship with a displacement of , long, with a beam of , and a draft of . They had triple-expansion reciprocating engines producing . They were capable of without a tow and about with a tow. They had a range of . The V3-S-AH2's were manned by a crew of 27. They were built by Corpus Christi Shipyard, Corpus Christi, Texas, Puget Sound SB Company, Olympia, Washington, Standard Shipbuilding Company, San Pedro, California, and Astoria Shipbuilding, Astoria, Oregon.
*''Sustainer'', intended for the United Kingdom, as ''Atworth'' but sold to USSR
*''Compeller'', sold to the United Kingdom, renamed ''Atherida'', sold private 1948, scrapped
*''Dexterous'', sold to the United Kingdom, renamed ''Athelney'', sold to Trinidad, 1945, to Caymans, 1948, scrapped 1951
*''Mighty'', sold to the United Kingdom, renamed ''Atil'', sold private 1948, scrapped
*''Secure'', sold to the United Kingdom, renamed ''Attigny'', sold private 1948, scrapped 1955
*''Forthright'', sold to the United Kingdom, renamed ''Attock'', to USN renamed YTB 610, to USSR 1944 renamed Forthright
*''Power'', sold to the United Kingdom, renamed ''Atengo'', sold to Italy, 1947 renamed ''Titano'', scrapped 1974
*''Steadfast'', sold to the United Kingdom, renamed ''Atako'', wrecked and lost, 1944
*''Durable'', sold to the United Kingdom, renamed ''Ataran'', to Italy, 1947, renamed ''Ciclope'', scrapped
*''Spirited'', sold to the United Kingdom, renamed ''Atolia'', to Trinidad, 1948, to Caymans 1951, scrapped
*''Helper'', sold to the United Kingdom, renamed ''Atoyac'', to Italy, 1949, renamed ''Nereo''
*''Resister'', sold to the United Kingdom, renamed ''Atiamuri'', sold to Italy, 1947, sold to Israel, 1954
*''Superb'', sold to the United Kingdom, renamed ''Atwood'', sold to Trinidad, 1948, sold to Caymans, 1951, scrapped
*''Robust'', sold to the United Kingdom, renamed ''Atmore'', sold private, 1948, scrapped

V2-M-AL1

Port Sewall class tug. Named for American ports. All but one tug went for Lend-Lease use, some serviced in the Mediterranean Sea in WW2. V2-M-AL1 were: Wood hull, 90 tons, beam 19 foot, diesel engine with 240 horsepower, fuel Oil: 1920 gallons. Built by Puget Sound SB, Standard SB, Steinbach IW, Eureka Shipbuilding, Arlington SB, Texas SB, Siletz BW, Blair Company, Marinette Marine and Texas SB.
*''Port Sewall'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA" Tug, USA. (YN 1563)
*''Port Kennedy'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA" YN 1564
*''Port Reading'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA" YN 1565
*''Port Costa'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA" YN 1
*''Port San Luis'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA" YN 2
*''Port Chicago'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA" YN 3
*''Port Gamble'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA" YN 4
*''Port Tobacco'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA" YN 5
*''Port Haywood'' To US Navy renamed YTL 718, sold private 1947 renamed ''Limpiar''. (YTL= District Harbor Tug Small)
*''Port Inglis'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA"
*''Port Mayaca'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA"
*''Port Orange'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA"
*''Port Richey'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA"
*''Port St. Joe'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA"
*''Port Tampa City'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA"
*''Port Arthur'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA"
*''Port Bolivar'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA"
*''Port Lavaca'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA"
*''Port Neches'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA"
*''Port O'Connor'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA"
*''Port Sullivan'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA"
*''Port Stanley'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA"
*''Port Townsend'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA"
*''Port Ewen'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA"
*''Port Gibson'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA"
*''Port Jefferson'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA"
*''Port Leyden'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA"
*''Port Austin'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA"
*''Port Homer'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA"
*''Port Hope'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA"
*''Port Sanilac'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA"
*''Port William'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA"
*''Port Wing'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA"
*''Port Sulphur'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA"
*''Port Treverton'' To the United Kingdom as a "TUSA"

''ATR-1''-class rescue tug

''ATR-1'' class - Auxiliary Tug Rescue was a wooden-hulled rescue tug that was built by Wheeler SB, Northwest Shipbuilding, Frank L. Sample, Jakobson Shipyard, Camden SB, Lynch SB, and Fulton Shipyard in 1944 and 1945. The 89 ''ATR-1''-class tugs serve during World War II in both Asiatic-Pacific Theater and the European theatre of World War II. 40 of ''ATR-1'' class had a displacement of 852 tons light and 1,315 tons fully loaded. They had a length of , a beam of and draft of . Top speed of . The largest boom had a capacity of 4 tons. They were armed with one 3-inch/50-caliber gun and two single Oerlikon 20 mm cannon. The crew complement was five officers and 47 enlisted men. They had a fuel capacity of . The propulsion was one Fulton Iron Works vertical triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine with two Babcock and Wilcox "D"-type boilers with a single propeller creating . They had two turbo drive Ships Service Generators, rated at 60 kW 120 V D.C. Example is .

''Cherokee''-class tugboat

The of fleet tugboats, originally known as the ''Navajo'' class, were built for the US Navy for World War II with a displacement of 1,235 long tons (1,255 t). They had a length of , a beam of , a draft of . Their propulsion was composed of a diesel-electric engine with one shaft creating and a top speed of . They were give the hull classification symbol of "AT" for "Auxiliary Tug". The tugs were built by Bethlehem Mariners Harbor, Staten Island, Charleston Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, and United Engineering Co. Example: .

''Abnaki''-class tugboat

'' Abnaki-class tugboat'' were ocean fleet tugboats that were built for the US Navy for World War II with a displacement of 1,589 tons, a length of 205 ft 0 in (62.48 m), a beam of 38 ft 6 in (11.73 m), and a draft of 15 ft 4 in (4.67 m). They had a propulsion of: 4 × General Motors 12-278A diesel main engines, 4 × General Electric generators, 3 × General Motors 3-268A auxiliary services engines, with a single screw of 3,600 shp (2,700 kW) and a top speed: 16.5 knots. Class ''ATF'' for ''Auxiliary Tug Fleet''. Built by Charleston Shipbuilding & Drydock. Example: USS Abnaki (ATF-96).

Sotoyomo-class tugboat

Sotoyomo-class tugboat were tugboats that were built for the US Navy for World War II with a displacement of 534 long tons (543 t) light, 835 long tons (848 t) full, a length of 143 ft (44 m), a beam of 33 ft (10 m) and a draft of 13 ft (4.0 m). They had a propulsion of diesel-electric engine with a single screw and a top speed of 13 knots. Harbor tugs (YT) were named after American Indian tribes: Example tug is the USS Ontario (AT-13)

Cahto-class district harbor tug

Cahto-class district harbor tug was a harbour tug of the US Navy with a displacement of 410 long tons (417 t), a length of 110 ft 0 in (33.53 m), a beam of 27 ft 0 in (8.23 m) and a draft of 11 ft 4 in (3.45 m). They had a propulsion of diesel-electric engine with a single screw and a top speed of 12 knots. A crew of 12. Sample tug: USS Cahto (YTB-215). Built by Kneass Boat Works, Anderson & Cristofani, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Consolidated Shipbuilding Corp., Defoe Shipbuilding Company, Gulfport Shipbuilding Corporation, Gibbs Gas Engine, Bushey & Sons Shipyard, W. A. Robinson, Greenport Basin, Mathis, Elizabeth City, Stone Boat Yard, Martinac, Ira Bushey, Luders Marine, Westergard, Everett-Pacific, United States Coast Guard Yard, Commercial Iron Works and Bethlehem Shipbuilding San Pedro.

Hisada class harbor tug

Hisada class harbor tug is a subclass of Cahto-class district harbor tug. Hisada class harbor had the same design as the 260-ton Cahto-class district harbor tug.
Harbor tugs (YT) were named after American Indian tribes. Example tugs: USS Nabigwon (YTB-521) and USS Wabanquot (YTB-525).

Woban Class District Harbor Tug

Woban Class District Harbor Tug is a subclass of Cahto-class district harbor tug. Hisada class harbor had the same design as the 260-ton Cahto-class district harbor tug.
Harbor tugs (YT) were named after American Indian tribes. Built by Pacific Coast Engineering, Puget Sound Navy Yard, and Consolidated Shipbuilding Corporation. Example tugs: Hoga (YT-146) and USS Nokomis (YT-142).

US Army

For World War 2 the US Army had tugboats built to move cargo barges in harbors. The Army often called the tug a Sea Mule, used to move US Army barges. Astoria Marine Construction Company built 15 MTL.
* Small wood US Army MTL Harbor Tugboats, 14 model 324-A with a length of 47 feet, a beam of 12 feet. MTL is for Motor Towing Launch. The Army had built 1,251 marine tractors (MT) and marine tow launches (MTL) by 41 boatbuilders. MT tugs were either 26 feet or 36 feet (Design 329) in length and the MTL were 46 feet.
* US Army TP Harbor Tug with displacement 185 tons gross, a length of 96 feet, a beam 25 feet, a draft of 11 feet, Power one Fairbanks–Morse six cylinder diesel engine to a single propeller with 450 shp. The TP is for "Tug/Passenger". The US Army had 43 of this 96-foot tugs built for World War 2, Ackerman Boat Company` built 15 of them.
* US Army had built 170 of the 65-foot, diesel-powered, passenger / cargo boats. These could also be used as harbor tugs. These were known as tug-transports, or T-boats.
* ST Small Harbor Tug, with steel hull, length of , a beam of and depth of .. There were 186 built by Decatur Iron and Steel in Decatur, Alabama, American Machy in Beresford, Florida, Birchfield Boiler in Tacoma, Washington, Equitable Equipment in New Orleans, Smith, C. W. in Pensacola, Florida, Port Houston IW in Houston, Reliable Welding in Olympia, Washington, Tampa Marine in Tampa, Florida and Consolidated SB in Brooklyn NY. Use for port duties. Most were a 327 design from ST-672 to ST-782. ST-695 tug museum ship at Los Angeles Maritime Museum
*RT tugs for River Tugs. Many were built by small shipyards builders for the U.S. Army. The RT tugs were built of steel or wood, or both. They were built with differt designs and length ranging from to . RT-804 to 813; RT-804 to 813 and RT-899 to RT-903.

Bagaduce-class tugboat WW1

Bagaduce-class tugboat were World War 1 tug boats used in World War 1 and World War 2. During World War 1 these were called YMT-Yard Motor Tug. Engineered with a displacement of 1,000 long tons (1,016 t) (normal) and a length of 156 ft 8 in (47.75 m), a beam of 30 ft (9.1 m) and a draft of 14 ft 7 in (4.45 m), with a top speed of 12.4 knots. USS Example USS ''Sagamore'' (AT-20).USS Bagaduce (AT-21) at the Navy History and Heritage Command

Arapaho-class fleet tug WW1

Arapaho-class fleet tug were World War 1 tug boats used in World War 1 and World War 2.
Engineered with a displacement of 575 tons and a length of 122 ft 6 in (37.34 m), a beam of 24 ft (7.3 m) and a draft of 12 ft 10 in (3.91 m), with a top speed of 11 knots.
Ships in class:
*AT-14 ''Arapaho'' later renamed: ''YT-121'' in 1936 then sold in 1937, renamed ''Evridiki'' in 1960, sold and renamed ''Faneromini'' in 1968. Scrapped in 1986.
*'' USS Mohave (AT-15)'' Wrecked in 1928.
*AT-16 ''Tillamook'' later renamed ''YT-122'' in 1936, renamed ''YTM-122'' in 1944. Scrapped in 1947

Canada Tugs

Modified Ocean Warrior-class Tugs built by Kingston Ship Builder in Kingston ON. GT of 233 tons, 105 feet long, Beam of 26.2' and Draft of 12.5' with 1000HP, max of 14 knots, Steel hull, built between 1945 and 1946.

*Rockglen
*Rockforest
*Rockpigeon
*Rockdoe
*Rockswift
*Rockelm
*Rockswift
*Rockwing
*Rockcliffe
*Rockmount
*Rockport
*Rockland
*Rockhill
*Rockwood
*Rockruby
*Rockhawk
*Rockthrush
*Rockcrystal

Notable incidents

* ''Sonoma'' tug sank off Dio Island in action at San Pedro Bay, Leyte Gulf, Philippines when an enemy bomber crashed into her on 24 October 1944.
* USS Partridge (AM-16) a Minesweeper, converted to a tug, Ocean Tug AT-138, sank after a torpedo from a German E-Boat hit on 11 June 1944. She sank on way to France at , about north of Vierville-sur-Mer.
*''Matagorda'' a V4-M-A1 tug, sank in 1946.
*''Boon Island'' a V4-M-A1 tug, sank in 1976.
*''Moose Peak'' a V4-M-A1 tug, sank in 1974. She was a Merchant Marine Ship at Normandy.
*''Great Isaac'' a V4-M-A1 tug, sank in 1947.
*MV 'Mobile Point' a V4-M-A1 tug sank on 23 December 1944 after collided with the SS Beaton Park, a British cargo ship off the coast of Oregon, near the Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
*''YTL-566'' sank on the way to Vietnam in the vicinity of Côn Sơn Island, during the Vietnam War.
*''YTL-199'' sank in 1946.
*''Triton (YT-10)'' fleet tug, sank with all the crew on 30 December 1962 in storm off Huntington, Long Island, New York.
*''USS Pokagon (YT-274)'' sank near Green Cove Springs, Fla. after she capsized on 27 September 1947.
*''USS Shahaka (YTB-368)'' sank after colliding with USS ''ABSD-2'', a floating drydock, midway between the California coast and the Hawaiian Islands at 27° 21'N 136° 29'W in June 1944.
* USS Secota (YTM-415), Sank in collision with submarine, USS Georgia (SSGN-729) on 22 March 1986 near Midway Atoll.
*''YT-198'' sank after hitting a mine off the Anzio beachhead on 18 February 1944.
* USS Iona (YTB-220) sank after a fire in June 1963.
*ATA-214 ''Palo Blanco'' renamed ''Radnik'' sank in storm off Syria in 1953.
*ATR-64 renamed ''La Lumiere'' sank at mooring in 2008 in Britannia Beach BC.
*AT-171 sank after a collision off the Azores in 1944.Wrecked off Okinawa 9 Oct. 1945
* USS ''Mohave'' (AT-15) ran aground and was wrecked on 13 February 1928 in Massachusetts Bay.
* USS Arapaho (ATF-68) as ARA Comandante General Zapiola in the Argentine Navy ran aground on a reef off Antarctica and sank on 10 January 1976.
* ATF-117 USS ''Wateree'' was wrecked and sank off Okinawa on 9 Oct. 1945.
* ''USS Grebe'' was wrecked and sank off Fiji on 9 October 1945 with a loss of eight of crew.
*AT-200 Sold and renamed ''Leucolon'' (PP 61) was wrecked and sank in 1965.
*ATR-15 was wrecked and sank off Normandy on 19 June 1944.
* AT-31 USS ''Koka'' was wrecked and sank in 1938 off San Clemente Island.
*AT-166 Chetco sold and renamed ''Neptune'' sank after collision in 1948
*AT-191 sunk by typhoon Louise at Okinawa on 9 Oct. 1945.
*AT-210 ''USS Catawba'' renamed ARA Comodoro Somellera (A10)sank in 1998.navsource Catawba
/ref>

See also

* Type B ship
* Sotoyomo-class fleet tug
* Pusher tug
* Victory ships
* Liberty ship
* Type C1 ship
* Type C2 ship
* Type C3 ship
* United States Merchant Marine Academy
* List of auxiliaries of the United States Navy
* Wooden boats of World War 2

References

Bibliography

*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*

External links

tugboatinformation.com

{{Subject bar
, portal1=United Kingdom

Ship types
World War II merchant ships of the United States
Auxiliary tugboat classes