Harbor Tugs (YT): Photo Gallery
Small Types, 1922-1945 (later YTL)
| Most of the photos here were selected from the comprehensive NavSource Photo Archive and are acknowledged with thanks. The class designations and other information are from the Navy's 1949 Ships Data Book, NAVSHIPS 250-641 Ship Contracts Awarded 1 January 1934 - 1 July 1955 and other official sources. |
| Cl. | Class Name | 1st order | L-oa | B-ext | D-nav | T-std | T-full | Tugs in class |
| - | Early | 1931-37 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | YT-117 (later YMT-13, YTL-117), 130, 132, YMT-15 (never YT, later YTL-479) |
| a | YT-143 (YTL-143) | 31 Jul 39 | 66 | 17 | 5 | -- | -- | YT 143-144, 152-169, 184-186, 196-212, 230-237, 244-251, 339-340 |
| b | YT-291 (YTL-291) | 17 Nov 42 | 66 | 17 | 5 | -- | -- | YT 291-320, PYT-3 (wood hulls) |
| c | YT-361 (YTL-361) | 7 Jul 43 | 83 | 21 | 11 | 134 | -- | YT 361-363 (wood hulls, Bu. Yards & Docks order, ex CB 1-3, for 17th ND) |
| d | YT-422 (YTL-422) | 6 Oct 43 | 66 | 17 | 6 | 64 | 80 | YT 422-457, 550-604, 711-717 (561-5, 568-70, 575-82, 595-9, 604-5, 711-17 canc.) |
| e | YT-611 (YTL-611) | 29 Jul 44 | 41 | 15.6 | 6.2 | -- | 37 | YT 611-616, 632-639 (40' Sea Mules, BuShips order) |
| f | YT-617 (YTL-617) | 19 Mar 43 | 75 | 18 | 7 | 70 | 74 | YT 617-631 (624-31 cancelled) |
| Note: On 15 May 1944 all of the above still in service were reclassified from YT (Harbor Tug) to YTL (Harbor Tug Little). These tugs were not named. |
Click on the photos to prompt larger views of the same images.
Class: Early
YT-130 underway off Oahu circa 1939-41.
(Photo: NavSource 140813001)
(Photo: NavSource 140813001)
Class: Early
YT-132 as French Mouette at Toulon on 18 April 1952.
(Photo: NavSource 140813203)
(Photo: NavSource 140813203)
Class: YT-143
YT-144, probably when new.
(Photo: NavSource 140814401, NARA 80-G-40513)
(Photo: NavSource 140814401, NARA 80-G-40513)
Class: YT-143
YT-154 probably photographed by her builder in Long Island Sound in 1941.
(Photo: NavSource 140815403)
(Photo: NavSource 140815403)
Class: YT-143
YT-162 at Mare Island on 10 January 1942.
(Photo: NavSource 140816202)
(Photo: NavSource 140816202)
Class: YT-143
YT-197 at Bizerte, Tunisia, in 1944.
(Photo: NavSource 140819704)
(Photo: NavSource 140819704)
Class: YT-143
YT-236.
(Photo: Shipscribe)
(Photo: Shipscribe)
Class: YT-291
YT-296 off the US east coast circa 1943.
(Photo: NavSource 140829601, NARA 80-G-411695)
(Photo: NavSource 140829601, NARA 80-G-411695)
Class: YT-291
PYT-3 being launched by Cape May Shipbuilders, Cape May, N.J., on 11 September 1943.
(Photo: NHHC Ship Histories Branch)
(Photo: NHHC Ship Histories Branch)
Class: YT-363
Washington Iron Works engine advertisement depicting YT 363.
(Photo: NavSource 140836301)
(Photo: NavSource 140836301)
Class: YT-422
YTL-432.
(Photo: NavSource 141043201)
(Photo: NavSource 141043201)
Class: YT-422
YTl-436.
(Photo: NavSource 141043601)
(Photo: NavSource 141043601)
Class: YT-422
YT-438.
(Photo: NavSource 141043803)
(Photo: NavSource 141043803)
Class: YT-422
YT-558.
(Photo: NavSource 141055801)
(Photo: NavSource 141055801)
Class: YT-422
YT-566.
(Photo: NavSource 141056601)
(Photo: NavSource 141056601)
Class: YT-611
Ingalls Sea Mule: Cover for Assembly Instruction Manual for 40' pontoon tugs YTL 632-639 and YTL 611-616.
(Photo: NavSource 10611a.pdf, extract)
(Photo: NavSource 10611a.pdf, extract)
Class: YT-611
Ingalls Sea Mule: Deck plan for YTL 632-639. YTL 611-616 had minor differences.
(Photo: NavSource 10611a.pdf, extract)
(Photo: NavSource 10611a.pdf, extract)
Class: YT-611
Ingalls Sea Mule: Outboard Profile for YTL 632-639.
(Photo: NavSource 10611a.pdf, extract)
(Photo: NavSource 10611a.pdf, extract)
Class: YT-611
YTL-614, Satanta (YTM-270) and YTL-435 to port and Lelaka (YTB-514) to starboard assisting the just launched USS Andrew Jackson (SSBN-619) at Mare Island on 15 September 1962. The Sea Mule is removing ship riders.
(Photo: NavSource 140827003, Navy Photo 56219-9-62)
(Photo: NavSource 140827003, Navy Photo 56219-9-62)
Class: YT-617
YT-618 after being blown ashore at Buckner Bay, Okinawa, by Typhoon Louise on 9 October 1945.
(Photo: NavSource 141061801)
(Photo: NavSource 141061801)
Acquisitions (YT, later YTL)
| Notes: The following small tugs were acquired: YT-332, 345-6, 351-3, 355-8, 360, 473, 605, 608-9, 640-700, 718-20, 725-7, and 735, plus YMT 17-32, some of which became YT 480-491. YT 640-699 were Army 46' Marine Tow Launches, which were acquired from the Army between April 1944 and July 1945. For more information on these obscure vessels see here. No illustrations have been found of the Army MTL's and only a few are available of the other acquired small tugs. |
YT-355 assisting the floating drydock YFD-6 through the Panama Canal in June 1945. The tug was acquired by the Navy on 8 March 1943 upon her completion.
(Photo: NavSource 140835501 from NHHC NH 98828)
(Photo: NavSource 140835501 from NHHC NH 98828)
YTL-481 ex YMT-19 as the merchant tug Alitak photographed by John E. Thwaites near Chignik, Alaska, circa the 1910s. She was built in 1901 and acquired by the Navy on 7 March 1942 as YMT-19.
(Photo: NavSource 140848101, Alaska State Library ASL-P66-351)
(Photo: NavSource 140848101, Alaska State Library ASL-P66-351)
YTL-482 ex YMT-20 at Mare Island on 9 November 1945. She was built at Mare Island 1902 as the Navy fire tug Leslie, designated YFB-7 in 1920, sold in 1930, and reacquired as YMT-20 in 1942.
(Photo: NavSource 140848201)
(Photo: NavSource 140848201)
YTL-483 ex YMT-21 as the small merchant tug Edward E. Gillen. shown here working in Milwaukee harbor in 1932. She was built in 1928 and acquired by the Navy on 28 March 1942 as YMT-21.
(Photo: NavSource 140848301, Milwaukee Public Library)
(Photo: NavSource 140848301, Milwaukee Public Library)
YTL-718 (unnamed) on the quay wall at Navy Yard Mare Island on 8 November 1945. This Maritime Commission V2-M-AL1 type tug named Port Haywood was acquired by the Navy on 28 July 1944 one day after delivery by her builder to the M.C. Her sisters all went to the British.
(Photo: NavSource 140871801)
(Photo: NavSource 140871801)