Waxahachie (YTB-814)

Waxahachie (YTB-814), sometimes misspelled Waxahatchie, was a United States Navy Natick-class large harbor tug named for Waxahachie, Texas.

Waxahachie (YTB-814)

Waxahachie at left
History
United States
Namesake	Waxahachie, Texas
Awarded	22 June 1970
Builder	Peterson Builders, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Laid down	1 April 1971
Launched	9 September 1971
Acquired	2 January 1972
Decommissioned	2006
Reclassified	IX-545
Stricken	27 September 2011
General characteristics
Class and type	Natick-class large harbor tug
Displacement	283 long tons (288 t) (light) 356 long tons (362 t) (full)
Length	109 ft (33 m)
Beam	31 ft (9.4 m)
Draft	14 ft (4.3 m)
Propulsion	One diesel propulsion engine, 2,000 hp (1,500 kW)
Speed	12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement	12
Armament	None

Construction

The contract for Waxahachie was awarded 22 June 1970. She was laid down on 1 April 1971 at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, by Peterson Builders and launched 9 September 1971.

Operational history

Delivered to the Navy on 4 January 1972 at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Waxahachie was assigned to the 14th Naval District. She continued to serve the fleet actively, providing tug and tow services, as well as pilot assistance, at the busy Pacific Fleet base at Pearl Harbor into 1980.

On 3 August 2007, she was reclassified as an unclassified miscellaneous vessel, stripped of her name, and given the hull number IX-545. For the remainder of her career, IX-545 served as a reusable target vehicle.

Stricken from the Navy Directory on 27 September 2011, the former Waxahachie awaits disposal.

Former Waxahachie in Seattle, Washington

References

•  This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
•  This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain. The entries can be found here and here.

External links

• Photo gallery of Waxahachie (YTB-814) at NavSource Naval History