USS Pawtucket (YT-7)

Pawtucket in 1899
History
United States
Name	USS Pawtucket
Ordered	3 March 1897
Builder	Mare Island Navy Yard, California
Laid down	22 July 1898
Launched	17 November 1898
Commissioned	1 January 1899
Decommissioned	13 December 1946
Reclassified	YT-7, 17 July 1920 YTM-7, 15 May 1944
Homeport	Puget Sound Navy Yard
Fate	Sold and scrapped, 1947
General characteristics
Type	Tugboat
Displacement	225 long tons (229 t)
Length	92 ft 6 in (28.19 m)
Beam	21 ft 1 in (6.43 m)
Draft	8 ft 9 in (2.67 m)
Propulsion	Steam, single screw
Speed	12.2 knots (22.6 km/h; 14.0 mph)
Complement	9 (orig.) 16 (World War II)
Armament	3 × 1-pounder guns (orig.) 1 × single 20 mm AA (World War II)

USS Pawtucket (Harbor Tug No. 7/YT-7/YTM-7), was a district harbor tug serving in the United States Navy in the early 20th century, during both World War I and World War II. This was the first of two US Navy namesakes of the city of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and the Native American tribe bearing the same name.

Pawtucket was ordered on 3 March 1897, laid down at Mare Island Navy Yard in California on 22 July 1898, and launched on 17 November 1898, christened by five year old Heather Baxter, daughter of Naval Constructor W. J. Baxter.^[1] The 19th century designation "Harbor Tug No.7" was officially replaced with "YT-7" (District harbor tug) on 17 July 1920.

Pawtucket's entire career was spent on the Pacific coast, active in the 13th Naval District, the Puget Sound Navy Yard being her permanent base for more than thirty years. During World War II she was armed with a single 20 mm gun and served as a patrol craft and minesweeper in the Puget Sound area, with an increased complement of 16. Pawtucket was redesignated "YTM-7" on 15 May 1944.

At the war's end, Pawtucket was declared surplus, placed out of service on 13 December 1946, and transferred to the Maritime Commission. She was then sold to the Northeast Merchandising Service, which operated her briefly in Puget Sound before scrapping her in 1947.

• Robert Witcher Copeland (CO, 1940s)

•  This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

• Photo gallery of USS Pawtucket at NavSource Naval History