USS Redwing (YTB-783)

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USS Redwing (YTB-783)
Redwing in Atka harbor, Aleutian Islands, Alaska, 1976
Career
Name: USS Redwing
Builder: Marinette Marine, Marinette, Wisconsin
Laid down: 9 August 1965
Launched: 20 October 1965
Commissioned: June 1965
Struck: 2004
General characteristics
Class and type: Natick-class tugboat
Displacement: 283 long tons (288 t)
Length: 109 ft (33 m)
Beam: 31 ft (9.4 m)
Draft: 14 ft (4.3 m)
Speed: 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement: 12
Armament: None

USS Redwing (YTB-783), a large harbor tug, was laid down on 9 August 1965 by the Marinette Marine, Marinette, Wisconsin, and launched without ceremony on 20 October 1965.

West Coast Assignment

On 23 November 1965 Redwing, in company with Manistee (YTB-782), another newly constructed tug, departed the builder's yard for delivery to the Naval Station, San Diego, California.

Placed in service in June 1965, Redwing, was fitted with special fenders to allow her to work with the United States Navy's round-hulled nuclear powered submarines, has operated in the 11th and 12th Naval Districts, assisting larger Navy ships in docking and performing general towing services.

Latest Status

Beginning in 1969, Redwing was based out of Adak, Alaska, operating in rough North Pacific waters. Along with the YTB-818, duties included assisting in docking operations, search and rescue operations in some of the roughest water in the world, research trips, transportation around the island and to other islands in the Aleutian chain, and any other odd jobs that came along. As the only two work boats assigned to the very busy cold war base on Adak, they were kept very busy.

She was stricken from Naval Registry in 2004. The last visual location was still at Adak, Alaska in December 1996. Latest Google Map shots from their collective, showed Redwing still at Adak in 2005. Likely sold to the location Aleut Oil company, who took over on Adak following the closure of the Navy facilities in spring 1997.

Crew members memorial

Robert Jinx passed away during operations on 5 October 1984.

References

This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

External links