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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

YTL-159
ex
 YT-159 (1941 - 1944)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Bravo - Victor - Kilo
 NBVK
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
District Harbor Tug:
  • Built by Robert Jacobs, Inc., City Island, NY
  • Laid down, 17 September 1940
  • Launched, 17 July 1941
  • Completed as YT-159, 21 August 1941
  • Allocated to the 14th Naval District at Pearl Harbor
  • Towed by Halawa (AOG-12) from Pearl to Palmyra Atoll, 16-21 April 1942
  • Redesignated District Harbor Tug, Small YTL-159, 15 May 1944
  • Served at Palmyra, April 1942 - mid 1945 1
  • Returned to Pearl Harbor, mid-1945
  • Placed out of service in reserve, May 1947
  • Reactivated during Korean conflict and served at Pearl Harbor into early 1960s
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • Registered to Foss Launch and Tug, Seattle, WA, as tug Chris Foss (ON 290041), 1962
  • Registered to unknown owners, renamed Gold Stack, 1980s
  • Registered to Blackwater Towboat Co., Richmond, CA, renamed Benjamin, 1980s
  • Registered to Tulli Messer, Richmond, CA, 1997
  • Bore names Coral, Sturdy and Belle between 1997-2007
  • Registered to James W. Bennett, Port Orchard, WA, as yacht Thea Belle, 2007
  • Currently under restoration in Puget Sound area with plans to return to Navy paint scheme, 2025
    1. Skalley's frequently cited Foss: Ninety Years of Towboating (1981) states YTL-159 worked at Puget Sound "for twenty years", which is not supported by official records.
    Specifications:
    Displacement unknown
    Length 66' 2"
    Beam 17'
    Draft 4' 11"
    Speed unknown
    Complement unknown
    Armament unknown
    Propulsion Diesel, single propeller 240shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    YT-159
    140815901    		 73k Thea Belle underway, circa 2007.
    Photo by Birk Thomas, tugboatinformation.com    		 John Spivey
    There is no DANFS history available for YT-159 / YTL-159 available at NavSource
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
    Back To the Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Yard and District Craft Photo Index Back To The District Harbor Tug (YT) Photo Index Back To The District Harbor Tug, Small (YTL) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page was created by Gary P. Priolo and is maintained by David L. Wright
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 28 February 2025