USS Pontiac (YT-20)

USS Pontiac (YT-20) was a United States Navy harbor tugboat built by the Gas Engine and Power Company, Morris Heights, New York and launched in 1904. She was commissioned into service in 1904 and served primarily as a yard tug, assisting in the movement of ships and equipment within naval harbors.

Pontiac operated primarily in the New York Navy Yard and other East Coast ports. Her duties involved towing barges, moving ships into and out of drydock, and assisting larger vessels with docking and undocking maneuvers. She also provided general support services to the naval activities in her assigned areas.

Throughout her career, Pontiac remained a vital, if unsung, part of the Navy's infrastructure. Her reliable service ensured the smooth operation of naval facilities. She was decommissioned and struck from the Navy List at some point, with her ultimate fate not widely documented. The exact date of her decommissioning and disposal is difficult to definitively ascertain due to variations in historical records regarding harbor tugs.

The Pontiac name reflects a broader naval tradition of naming harbor tugs after Native American tribes or figures.