Tazha (YT-147)
1941-1973
A Sioux Native American word which means “wave of the sea.”
(YT-147: displacement 218; length l00'0"; beam 25'0"; draft 9'7" (full load); speed 12 knots (trial); complement 12; class Woban)
Tazha (YT-147) was laid down on 8 August 1940 at Morris Heights, N.Y., by the Consolidated Shipbuilding Corp.; launched on Lincoln's birthday 1941; and completed and placed in service on 14 June 1941.
Tazha served her entire Navy career at Norfolk, Va., in the Fifth Naval District. She operated as a harbor tug there from June 1941 until March 1946. During that time, on 15 May 1944, she was reclassified as a harbor tug (big) YTB-147. In March 1946, she was placed out of service, in reserve.
The tug remained inactive at Norfolk until July 1952 when she returned to active service there. In February 1962, her designation was changed once more and she was classified as a medium harbor tug, YTM-147. Following 11 more years of service at Norfolk, Tazha was decommissioned, and her name stricken from the Naval Vessel Register, on 1 May 1973. She was disposed-of, by Navy Sale, on 1 May 1974.
Marine Logistics, Seattle, Wa., acquired the tug and renamed her Robert W. (1974); 13 years later, in 1987, Alaska Marine Towing, of Juneau, purchased her and renamed her Cold Bay.
Updated, Robert J. Cressman
29 April 2024
