USS Watseka (YTM-387) was a medium harbor tug of the YTM-192 class in the service of the United States Navy during World War II. The Naval Historical Center lists the namesake as: "Possibly a variant spelling of Watsaghika, a former village of the Iruwaitsu Shasta Indian tribe of northern California, at the extreme west end of Scott Valley."[1]

History
United States
NameUSS Watseka
Acquiredby purchase, 1943
DecommissionedMarch 1946
ReclassifiedYTM-387, 15 May 1944
FateSold, 1 July 1972
General characteristics
TypeTugboat
Length100 ft (30 m)
Beam25 ft (7.6 m)
Draft10 ft (3.0 m)

Watseka was purchased in 1943 from Ira S. Bushey and Sons of Brooklyn, New York, and assigned to the 8th Naval District, New Orleans, Louisiana, as YT-387. On 15 May 1944, her designation was changed from YT-387 to YTB-387. While in reserve, she was redesignated YTM-387 in February 1962.[1]

Placed in reserve, out of service, and berthed with the Columbia River, Oregon, group of the Pacific Reserve Fleet from March 1946, she was subsequently sold on 1 July 1972. As a civilian tug, she operated under the names Deborah W, Beaver, Seahorse,[2] SB IX, Seahorse, and Glen Cove.[3]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Watseka". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History and Heritage Command.
  2. ^ "Harbor Tugs". Harbor Tugs. NAFTS. Archived from the original on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
  3. ^ "U.S. Shipbuilding History, Shipbuilding records, Tim Colton", Shipbuilding History website.