Tiogas II

Tiogas II

(Launch: dp. 131; l. 81'10"; b. 20'; dr. 8'8" (mean);
s.9.8k.;cpl.11;a.none)

One of the two Tiogas to operate under naval control during World War I was the harbor cutter Tioga, built at Solomons Island, Md., for the United States Coast Guard. Launched on 4 May 1916, the ship was commissioned on 17 October 1916, Master's Mate Albert M. Totzke, USCG, in command.

When the United States entered World War I, the Treasury Department transferred all Coast Guard ships and craft to the Navy, effective 6 April 1917. Tioga operated on local patrol duties in the 5th Naval District through the end of hostilities in November 1918 and into the following summer.

Transferred back to the Coast Guard on 28 August 1919, Tioga was apparently placed out of commission soon thereafter, as Coast Guard records indicate that the ship was "recommissioned" at the Coast Guard Depot, South Baltimore, Md., on 5 December 1921. The harbor cutter operated briefly at Baltimore, her pre-war home port, before being assigned to the Norfolk, Va. station on 1 January 1923.

Operating out of Norfolk for the next six years Tioga returned to Baltimore for repairs in the spring of 1929. Upon completion of that yard period which commenced on 3 May, Tioga stood out of Baltimore on 13 June to return to Norfolk. Subsequently placed out of commission there on 15 March 1930, the launch was sold to M. J. Gross of New York City on 26 April 1930.

(Tug: t. 73 (gross); 1. q4'8"; b. 18'8"; dph. 8'5")

The second Tioga to see naval service during World War I was the wooden hulled tug built in 1916 at Solomons, Md. She was carried in the 1 November 1918 edition of Ship's Data, U.S. Naval Vessels and listed as serving in the 5th Naval District. Apparently, she was never commissioned and probably performed local towing operations within the district. One of her typical missions was her towing of the wooden-hulled motor launch Vaud J. from Baltimore to Indian Head, Md., in the autumn of 1918. Tioga disappears from Navy and mercantile lists in 1919, and her subsequent fate remains a mystery.