USS Pocahontas (YT-266)

For other ships with the same name, see USS Pocahontas.

Red Cloud (YTB-268), a type V2-ME-A1, same as Pocahontas, alongside David C. Shanks, outside the Oakland Bay Bridge in San Francisco Bay, California, 1950s
History
United States
Name	Port Blakely
Namesake	Port Blakely
Owner	Maritime Commission
Ordered	as type (V2-ME-A1) hull, MCE hull 433
Awarded	23 August 1941
Builder	Birchfield Boiler, Inc., Tacoma, Washington
Cost	$301,042
Yard number	1
Laid down	27 October 1941
Launched	1 May 1942
Status	Transferred to the US Navy, 31 December 1942
United States
Name	Pocahontas
Namesake	Pocahontas
Owner	US Navy
Acquired	31 December 1942
Reclassified	From harbor tug (YT-266) to large harbor tug (YTB-266) 15 May 1944 To medium harbor tug (YTM-266) February 1962
Identification	Hull symbol: YT-266 YTB-266 (15 May 1944) YTM-266 (February 1962) Callsign: NYIO
Fate	Scrapped, 25 February 2019
General characteristics
Class and type	Hiawatha-class tugboat
Type	Harbor tug
Displacement	237 long tons (241 t)
Length	100 ft (30 m)
Beam	25 ft (7.6 m)
Draft	9 ft 7 in (2.92 m)
Installed power	Enterprise DMQ-8 Diesel engine 700 shp (520 kW)
Propulsion	Single propeller
Speed	16 kn (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Crew	14
Armament	2 × 0.50 in (12.70 mm) heavy machine guns

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.

History

Pocahontas was laid down, under Maritime Commission contract, as Port Blakeley (MC hull 433) by Birchfield Boiler Incorporated, Tacoma, Washington on 27 October 1941. She was launched 2 May 1942, sponsored by Mrs. Alvin Davies.

Renamed Pocahontas (YT–266) on 4 July 1942, she was delivered to the Maritime Commission and transferred to the Navy on 31 December 1942; and placed in service, in the 11th Naval District, 16 March 1943.

Redesignated YTB–266, 15 May 1944, served the 11th Naval District, headquartered at San Diego, until after World War II. Between 1946 and 1955, she operated in the 12th Naval District, headquartered at San Francisco, then returned to the 11th Naval District. Redesignated YTM–266 in February 1962, she continued to provide tug and towing services to that district.

Red Cloud, a type V2-ME-A1 tugboat, same as Pocahontas, alongside USNS David C. Shanks at the Golden Gate, San Francisco, California, in the 1950s

Pocahontas was sold to Crowley Maritime in 1972 and provided tug services until purchased by her present owners in 1997. She was sold for scrap at Sausalito, 25 February 2019.

Awards

USS Pocahontas earned the American Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal and the National Defense Service Medal for her service in the U.S. Navy.

See also

• Sotoyomo-class fleet 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

Bibliography

• "Port Blakely". Retrieved 4 January 2023.
• "Pocahontas (YTM-266)". Navsource.org. 30 March 2018. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
• "Pocahontas IV (YT-266)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 21 August 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2023. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.