Laid down 29 April 1944 Construction started 29 April 1944 Length 30 m Displacement 215,000 kg | Commissioned 23 December 1944 Launched 4 August 1944 Weight 240.8 tons | |
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Namesake Derived from Secotan, an Algonquin tribe. Reclassified District Harbor Tug, Medium YTM-415, February 1962 Fate Sunk in collision, 22 March 1986 Class and type Sassaba-class harbor tug Builders United States Coast Guard Yard, Curtis Bay, Balti | ||
USS Secota (YTB-415) was a harbor tug that served in the United States Navy from 1945 to 1986.
Secota was assigned to the Pacific Fleet soon after delivery to the Navy. She was at Okinawa in August 1945; visited Tsingtao, China in July 1946; and replaced USS Anamosa at Yokosuka, Japan, on 20 August 1947.
During 1950, Secota visited Hungnam and Pusan, Korea; her last recorded port of call was Sasebo, Japan, apparently returning to Japan from Korea during the waning days of 1950. After that time, Secota was continuously assigned to advanced American bases in the Pacific. In February 1962 she was redesignated a medium harbor tug, YTM-415.
On 22 March 1986, near Midway Island, Secota had just completed a personnel transfer with the USS Georgia when Secota lost power and collided with Georgia. Secota lost power before it was clear, causing an impact with the sub's stern dive planes, where the tug got hung up. Secota sank; ten crewman were rescued, but two crew trapped in the engine room drowned. While the media reported that the Georgia was undamaged, a report sent by the Commanding Officer of the Georgia indicates that after returning the surviving crew members to Hawaii, Georgia underwent emergency repairs for minor damage sustained in the collision.