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Defoe Shipbuilding, Bay City MI

Most recent update: May 21, 2010.

Defoe Shipbuilding Company was started in 1905, as Defoe Boat & Motor Works, by the unlikely team of Harry J. Defoe, who was a public school principal, his brother Frederick W. Defoe, who was a New York lawyer, and his brother-in-law, George H. Whitehouse, who was in the wholesale fish business.  Their shipyard closed in 1976 and the site is now a scrapyard.  See it from the air on Google here.

Hull # Original Name Original Owner Vessel Type Navy Type # Tons Feet Delivered Disposition
      Fishing Skiffs         1905+ Several – first vessels built
  Halcyon   Motor Boat         1912 To USN 1917 as Halcyon (SP 1658), returned 1917
41 Phirenger   Yacht         1912  
43 Mariner   Yacht         1913  
44 Dora   Yacht     32   1917 Later Killarney, to USN 1917 as SP 219, sold 1919, abandoned 1926 [USN sources have built 1910]
45 Gee Bee Tee   Yacht         1916  
46   US Navy Torpedo Chaser       40 1917  
47   US Navy Torpedo Chaser       40 1917  
48   US Navy Torpedo Chaser       40 1917  
49   US Navy Torpedo Chaser       40 1917  
50   US Navy Torpedo Chaser       40 1917  
  Onward II   Yacht     14t     To USN 1917 as Onward II (SP 728), returned 1918
  Mikawe Thomas H Gill Yacht     41t   1916 To USN 1917 as Mikawe (SP 309), then survey ship 1920, lost by fire 1939
51 Maj Lester E. Moreton US Army Mineplanter     170 98 1921 Defoe’s first steel vessel.  [The names of these eight mine planters may not be associated with the correct hull #s]
52 Lt Col Herman C. Schwumm US Army Mineplanter     170 98 1921 (in service WW2)
53 Capt W. McKie US Army Mineplanter     170 98 1921  
54 Maj Clarence M. Condon US Army Mineplanter     170 98 1921 (in service WW2) 
55 Col Robert G. Gildart US Army Mineplanter     170 98 1921  
56 Maj Albert G. Jenkins US Army Mineplanter     170 98 1921 Sold 1951 as tug Bayou Plaquemine, later Courier, scrapped 1972 
57 Maj Carl A. Lohr US Army Mineplanter     170 98 1921  
58 Maj William P. Pence US Army Mineplanter     170 98 1921 Sold 1938 as tanker Helen Miller, now towboat Jane Frank
  [one of above]             1921 Sold 192x as tug/supply Béarn, later Estelle S
59 Detroit   Yacht     91g    1922 Later ferry Iroquois, active
60 Herself   Yacht         1924  
61 Windsor   Yacht         1923  
62 American Girl   Yacht         1922  
69 Mary Margaret   Yacht         1923  
70 Reomar III Ransom E Olds  Yacht     135   1924 Later Renmar 
71 Skylark   Yacht         1925  
77-1   US Coast Guard Patrol Craft WPC 115   75 1924-25  
77-2   US Coast Guard Patrol Craft WPC 116   75 1924-25  
77-3   US Coast Guard Patrol Craft WPC 117   75 1924-25  
77-4   US Coast Guard Patrol Craft WPC 118   75 1924-25  
77-5   US Coast Guard Patrol Craft WPC 119   75 1924-25  
77-6   US Coast Guard Patrol Craft WPC 120   75 1924-25  
77-7   US Coast Guard Patrol Craft WPC 121   75 1924-25  
77-8   US Coast Guard Patrol Craft WPC 122   75 1924-25  
77-9   US Coast Guard Patrol Craft WPC 123   75 1924-25 To USN 1933 as YP 13, sold 1941
77-10   US Coast Guard Patrol Craft WPC 124   75 1924-25  
77-11   US Coast Guard Patrol Craft WPC 125   75 1924-25  
77-12   US Coast Guard Patrol Craft WPC 126   75 1924-25  
77-13   US Coast Guard Patrol Craft WPC 127   75 1924-25  
77-14   US Coast Guard Patrol Craft WPC 128   75 1924-25  
77-15   US Coast Guard Patrol Craft WPC 129   75 1924-25  
80 Corwin US Coast Guard Patrol Craft     210 100 1925 To USN 1936 as YP 62, sold 1946
81 Dallas US Coast Guard Patrol Craft     210 100 1925 To USN 1935 as YP 61, sold 1946
82 Dexter US Coast Guard Patrol Craft     210 100 1925 To USN 1936 as YP 63, sold 1946, later Kingfisher, Jamaica, Trinidad, ferry Buccaneer, reefed near Chicago 2009  
83 Eagle US Coast Guard Patrol Craft     210 100 1925 To USN 1936 as YP 64, sold 1946 as Eagle
84 Forward US Coast Guard Patrol Craft     210 100 14-Nov-25 Reclassified as Forward (WAGL 160) 1941, sold 1947 as supply Stanolind 27, now Forward
85 Gallatin US Coast Guard Patrol Craft     210 100 1926 To USN 1935 as YP 42, sold 1946 as Orca, then Exploration
86 Mahoning US Coast Guard Patrol Craft     210 100 1926 To USN 1935 as YP 41, sold 1935
87 Nansemond US Coast Guard Patrol Craft     210 100 1-Jun-26 Reclassified as Phlox (WAGL 161) 1941, sold 1949
88 Naugatuck US Coast Guard Patrol Craft     210 100 1926 To USN 1935 as YP 56, later Shamrock, E D Smith, now Sea Eagle
89 Patriot US Coast Guard Patrol Craft     210 100 1926 To USN 1936 as Patriot (YT 127), YP 69 1938, struck 1946
90 Perry US Coast Guard Patrol Craft     210 100 1926 Sold 1937
91 Petrel US Coast Guard Patrol Craft     210 100 16-Jul-26 Reclassified as Pine (WAGL 162) 1941, sold 1948
92 Wolcott US Coast Guard Patrol Craft     210 100 1926 To USA 1936
  one of above?         173g   1926 Later yacht Friendship, now Willamette Pacific
93 Sylvia Logan G. Thomson Yacht     386   1926 Later Reomar IV, to USN 1942 as Ability (PYc 28), sold 1946.
  Rosewill D. T. Wende Yacht         1926  
108 Lassie   Yacht         1926  
109 Bo Peep II   Yacht     49g    1926 In service 
  Borenna II   Yacht         1928 To USN 1941 as YP 120, returned 1945
  Lochinvar   Yacht     60   1928 To USN 1942 as YP 210, to MARAD 1946
  Pan-Che   Yacht         1929 To USN 1942 as YP 394, to MARAD 1946
  Alma F   Yacht     88   1928 To USN 1942 as YP 406, to MARAD 1946
118 Charlotte   Yacht         1926  
119 Nomabin   Yacht         1926  
121 Helene   Yacht     120   1927 In service 
122 Comoco Ross W Judson  Yacht     395t   1927 Later Caronia. To USN 1941 as survey Guide, 1942 as Andradite (PYc 11), to C&GS 1947 as Caronia, sold 1952, burned and lost at Canton Island 1956
123 Luanco  Charles F. Kettering Yacht     108   1928 Delivered as Olive K, then Royono 
125 Grathea II   Yacht         1928  
126 Memory III   Yacht     306   1928 Later Elfreda 1933, Marita II 1940, Caribou 1940, Inca Beatrix 1946, Caribou 1951, deleted 1963
127 Seasails III   Yacht         1928  
129 Elise Thomas A. Yawkey Yacht         1928  
130 Barbet   Yacht         1928  
131 Fulmara   Yacht     116   1930 Later Yoreda
132 Bonny II   Yacht         1929 . 
133 Olive K Charles F. Kettering Yacht     448   1929 Later pilot boat New Jersey 1940, existence in doubt 1991
134 Verona J.   Yacht         1929  
135 Rose B   Yacht     194t   1930 To USN 1942 as Brave (PYc 34/YP 425), sold 1946
136 Elda Arthur Vining Davis Yacht         1930 . 
137 Marnell Alworth Investments Yacht     386   1930 To USN 1942 as Marnell (PYc 39), scrapped 1947
138 Saramar III Charles T. Fisher Yacht     360   1930 Later with New Orleans PA 
139 Thalia T. M. Howell Yacht     386   1930 Later Jet. To USN 1942 as Jet (PYc 20), scrapped 1948
140 Cormar   Yacht         1930 . 
141 Lady Jean II C. E. Dawson  Yacht         1930  
  Sheila   Yacht     161   1930  
      Yacht     41   1930 Later Olympic Scout, now Scout
143 Janidore Isadore Zellenbach Yacht     217   1930 Then Leonore. To USA as FS 27, returned. Then Carmac III, Luisa II, Niki I, Paget, Fulmara, now R/S Eden
144 Honey Fitz   Yacht     161   1931 . 
145 Danora   Yacht     146   1931 . 
146 Rosewill II William C Rands  Yacht     161   1931 Later Burlania 
147 Ber Glo III   Yacht     169   1931  
148 Barbara Ann Sewell Avery Yacht     94   1931 Later presidential yacht Lenore, Honey Fitz and Patricia
149 Escanaba  US Coast Guard Gunboat WPG 77 1,005   23-Nov-32 Torpedoed and lost 1943.
150 No. 150   Tug     139   1938  
151 Onondaga  US Coast Guard Gunboat WPG 79 1,005   11-Sep-34 Sold 1954.
152 Tahoma US Coast Guard Gunboat WPG 80 1,005   22-Oct-34 Later WAGE 80. Scrapped 1955
154 Hollyhock US Coast Guard Tender WAGL 220 825   7-Aug-37 Later WLM 220. Sold 1982 as mission ship Good News. Reefed 1990
155 O. F. Mook O. F. Mook  Mail Boat         1936  
156 Fred A. Busse City of Chicago Fire Boat     157 96 Apr-37 In service as passenger boat 
157 Bernadette   Yacht     289   1938 Multiple owners, now Lady Maha
158 Bymar Byron D. Miller Yacht     300   May-38 To USN 1942 as Peridot (PYc 18), sold 1946 as Mimosan, then Halimede, Zimba, Maha, Al Mojil 5, Matahari, Maha
159 Elm  US Coast Guard Tender WAGL 260 75   1-Apr-38 Donated 1970
160 Pollock Rip US Coast Guard Lightship LV 196     1939 Now Bio-Researcher
161 Thomas E. Moran Moran Towing Tug     149   Aug-38 To USN 1940 as  Namontak (YN 46/YNt 14/YTB 738), sold 1947 as Thomas E Moran, then Harriet Moran, Viking, Georgetown, Sharon Elizabeth, Statesboro, now Barbara Merry Busch
162 William J. Moran Moran Towing Tug     149   Sep-38 To USN 1940 as  Wapasha (YN 45/YNt 13/YTB 737), sold 1947 as Ann Moran, then Yankee, scrapped 1993
163 Naugatuck  US Coast Guard Icebreaking Tug WYT 92 328 90 12-Apr-39 Decommissioned 1979. Sold 1980 as Timmy B, now Jimmy L
164 Raritan  US Coast Guard Icebreaking Tug WYT 93 328 90 11-Apr-39 Decommissioned 1979, to SUNYMC 1988. Scrapped 2001
166   US Navy