USS Sotoyomo (YTM-9)

Summary

USS Sotoyomo (YTM-9/YT-9/Harbor Tug No.9) was a harbor tug built at the turn of the twentieth century. She saw service in both World War I and World War II and was heavily damaged by the Attack on Pearl Harbor. The name Sotoyomo commemorates a part of the Sioux tribe of Indians.[1] Sotoyomo was the oldest vessel at Pearl Harbor in service at the time of the attack.[2]

USS Sotoyomo (YTM-9)
USS Sotoyomo in Navy Yard, Puget Sound, Washington.
History
United States
BuilderMare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, California
Laid down2 March 1903
Launched20 August 1903
Christened21 April 1904
Completed1 March 1904
Commissioned1 July 1911
Reclassified
  • YT-9 – 17 July 1920
  • YTM-9 – 15 May 1944
Stricken26 February 1946
IdentificationHarbor Tug No.9
Honors and
awards
FateScuttled off Leyte, September 1946
General characteristics
TypeHarbor tug
Displacement230 tons
Length97 ft (30 m)
Beam21 ft 11 in (6.68 m)
Draft9 ft 0 in (2.74 m)
Installed powerone 13" x 32" steam engine one coal-fired single ended cylindrical boiler,
Propulsionsingle propeller 450shp
Speed11.1 kn (20.6 km/h; 12.8 mph)
Complement9

History edit

Sotoyomo was laid down 2 March 1903, at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, California, she was launched 20 August 1903. She served in both World War I and World War II.[3]

Attack on Pearl Harbor edit

 
USS Sotoyomo was in the same floating dry dock when the USS Shaw exploded: 7 December 1941

Sotoyomo was in floating dry dock YFD-2 with USS Shaw undergoing overhaul when Pearl Harbor was attacked 7 December 1941. Explosions and fires on Shaw greatly damaged Sotoyomo which resulted in total submersion. Originally, Sotoyomo was deemed a total loss, but she was later refloated, repaired, and rehabilitated.[1]

Further service in World War II edit

Sotoyomo served throughout World War II in various locations across the Pacific including Naval Base Noumea, Naval Base Guadalcanal and Naval Base Philippines at Naval Base Leyte. In Leyte, on September 1945, she was declared in very poor shape and taken out of service. On 15 February 1946, she was scuttled off Leyte. She was struck from the Naval Register on 26 February 1946.[citation needed]

Awards edit

  World War I Victory Medal
  American Defense Service Medal
  Combat Action Ribbon (Attack on Pearl Harbor)
  American Campaign Medal
  Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
  World War II Victory Medal
 
battle star (World War II)

References edit

  1. ^ a b Wallin, Homer N. (1968). Pearl Harbor: Why, How, Fleet Salvage and Final Appraisal (PDF). Naval History Division. p. 206.
  2. ^ World War II Informational Fact Sheets. Education Resources Information Center. 1995. p. 52.
  3. ^ "Sotoyomo (YTM-9)". NavSource Naval History. Retrieved 17 December 2016.

Notes edit