Bow Tug Boat, Small
In the interwar decades of the 1920s and 1930s, the Army saw the need to standardize the types of tug boats it used for oceangoing transport and supply vehicles. The system was divided into two groups, the Large Tugs (LTs) and Small Tugs (STs). Within the 'ST' section, various roles needed to be filled, therefore a single design could not be used. So, in addition to a common, comparatively large ST type ocean tug, the Army had designed a ST type Bow Tug Boat in the late 1930s to deal with maneuvering larger vessels into place once in harbor.
Often thirty to eighty feet shorter than their fellow STs, Bow Tugs were capable of precise movements. The diminutive Bow STs were capable of guiding even the largest ships carefully into place. Although it was technically possible for the four man crew to sleep onboard, they were almost always based off of land, going out only when needed for the incoming ship's final guidance and positioning.
This particular tug, ST-2031, is one of the last of its type produced. Built in 1952, the pre-war lines of a 1930s vessel are clearly visible. The design has since been extensively updated to provide for better crew comfort levels and increased handling. This particular ST saw service supporting operations in Greenland.
Erected by US Army Transportation
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Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Military • War, Cold • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1952.
Location. 37° 9.88′ N, 76° 34.581′ W. Marker is in Newport News, Virginia. It is in Fort Eustis. It can be reached from Washington Boulevard 0.1 miles north of Jefferson Avenue, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 321 Washington Blvd, Fort Eustis VA 23604, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on Virginia’s Peninsula, in Hampton Roads, in Coastal Virginia, and in the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and in the Tidewater. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Model 234B Picket Boat, 'J-Boat' (here, next to this marker); Barge, Amphibious Resupply, Cargo, 'BARC' 3-X (here, next to this marker); Landing Craft, Mechanized Model 6, 'LCM-6' (a few steps from this marker); Lighter, Amphibious Resupply, Cargo, 'LARC XV' (within shouting distance of this marker); Aviation in the Transportation Corps (within shouting distance of this marker); Vertical Axis Propeller - Beach Discharge Lighter 'BDL' 1x (within shouting distance of this marker); OH-58D Kiowa Warrior (within shouting distance of this marker); TH-55 Osage (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Newport News.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 28, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 645 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 28, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
