Potomac III AT-50

Potomac III

(AT-50: dp. 785; 1. 138'9", b. 28'6"; d. 12'; s. 16 k.; cpl. 56;
a. 2 3-pdrs.)

The third Potomac, a tug built in 1897 as Wilmot by the F. W. Wheeler Co., West Bay City, Mich., was purchased by the Navy from the Oeean Towing and Wreeking Company 14 April 1898 for service in the Spanish Ameriezn War, commanded by Lt. G. P. Blow. During the war, she served in the West Indies, and was retained by the Navy after peace was restored. In the ensuing years Potomac operated out of East Coast ports. She left Newport, R.I. 28 January 1914 to rescue vessels icebound off Newfoundland. Potomac was herself ieed-in and abandoned 14 February 1914 but salvaged in the late spring, arriving New York Navy Yard 9 June 1914.

After overhaul and repair, she became a tender in the Atlantic Fleet during 1915, and tender to the Canal Zone submarine squadron in 1916. Late in 1916, she was transferred to the West Indies, and while based at Santo Domingo served as transport and tug. After training exercises with the Atlantic Fleet off the Virginia Capes and a brief overhaul Potomac returned to the Caribbean. Based in Haiti, she serves as a transport for Marines, as well as carrying mail and stores. The tug was again home ported at Santo Domingo in early 1920, and in July of that year was designated AT 50. She remained in servlee in the Caribbean until May 1922, when she returned to Norfolk. Decommissioned 26 June 1922, she was struck from the Navy List 31 July and sold to New Orleans & Bisso Towboat Company 1 December 1922.