_{The first Hiyu. For a name that means “plenty” both vessels were actually quite small. Courtesy Capt. Raymond W. Hughes collection.}

BUILT: Launched 08 March 1924, Lake Washington Shipyards, Houghton, WA (yard #1) for the Kitsap County Transportation Co.

OFFICIAL NUMBER: 223684

L/B/D: 61 x 28 x 9 GROSS/NET TONS:  93/78 PASSENGERS/AUTOS: 100/12 cars

PROPULSION: Diesel, 110 HP

NAME TRANSLATION: “plenty, much”

FINAL DISPOSITION: Acquired by the US Navy, 25 July 1942. Placed in service as range tender at Keyport Naval Torpedo Station, August 1942. Belatedly designated YAG-34, 31 July 1945. Placed out of service, 29 October 1946. Struck from the Naval Register, 30 December 1946. Sold to Commercial Ship Repair Co., Seattle, WA, 28 November 1947. Engine removed, converted to freight scow.  Sold to Pacific Car & Foundry, Renton, WA, 1954. Out of documentation, 1967.

HISTORY

YAG-34: The acquisition of this vessel was directed 8 Jul 1942 and she was acquired on 25 July 1942 from Kitsap County Transportation Co. Com-13 reported on 10 May 1945 that she was equipped for ranging torpedoes and was assigned to the Keyport Naval Torpedo Station. Following receipt of this information, CNO assigned the classification YAG on 14 July 1945 and BuShips assigned the identification number 34 on 31 Jul 1945. The date placed in service was not recorded, though it probably occurred soon after her acquisition in July 1942. The 8-day discrepancy between the WSA (MC) sale dates in Navy and MC (MA) records as shown in the tables is unexplained—these records usually agree. Sold in 1947 to Commercial Ship Repair Co., Seattle, she was not registered for postwar service as an American merchant vessel. The ferry’s superstructure was stripped off and she was used as barge. The Hiyu was sold to Pacific Car & Foundry, Renton, WA, 1954, and saw continued use as a barge throughout 1950’s. Listed out of documentation by 1967, the hull was probably broken up in the 60’s.