DeLand nonprofit raises funds to bring locally made WWII tugboat back to the US

Katie Kustura, The Daytona Beach News-Journal
·4 min read
Dan Friend, president of nonprofit DeLand Historic Trust, Inc., is pictured here in 2021 with a model tugboat, similar to the ST-479, which was built in DeLand and used during WWII. Friend is working to bring the ST-479, currently located in Sweden, back to Volusia County.
Dan Friend, president of nonprofit DeLand Historic Trust, Inc., is pictured here in 2021 with a model tugboat, similar to the ST-479, which was built in DeLand and used during WWII. Friend is working to bring the ST-479, currently located in Sweden, back to Volusia County.

When Dan Friend decided he wanted to bring a 140-ton World War II tugboat from Sweden back to DeLand where it was built, he knew the odds weren't on his side.

It would take time and patience from those involved and at least, according to Friend's estimate, $200,000 to get it stateside.

Friend, president of the DeLand Historic Trust, Inc., sought advice from a community acquaintance while preparing for the local Memorial Day celebration and received much more than he expected.

"The biggest hurdle, the leap of faith, has been taken by one person," Friend said in a phone interview Friday.

That acquaintance, who Friend isn't naming at their request, donated $200,000, which Friend said just covers the shipping cost.

"Once that boat gets to Jacksonville, we will get it home one way or the other," Friend said.

The effort to bring the ST-479, also known as "Tiger," back to Volusia County began about a year ago when Friend learned the owners were looking to offload it, which they would do for free.

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The tugboat is one of more than 30 produced at Beresford Boatworks during the war. American Machinery Corp. operated the factory in DeLand, employing more than 300 people between 1943 and 1945.

Research points to the Tiger seeing action on D-Day in Normandy.

Throughout the past several months, Friend has received letters of encouragement for his project.

"The Volusia County Historic Preservation Board supports your effort to return a vital piece of our history back home," James Zacharias, board chair, wrote to Friend in May. "It is our hope that the residents of Volusia County will be able to enjoy this historic resource for many years to come."

Friend said the ST-479 could begin its trans-Atlantic journey before the month is over because if it doesn't move soon, Stockholm wants $60,000 to keep it docked.

Assistance from the U.S. Embassy in Sweden

In April, Friend found a visit to Sweden necessary.

"The tugboat had basically been left unwatched and drug addicts moved onboard," Friend said.

The DeLand resident made a call to the U.S. Embassy in Sweden and asked for help.

While someone stole the tugboat's original wheel, law enforcement stopped individuals from making off with additional parts, which are now being kept at the Embassy.

The boat still impressed Friend.

"I couldn’t believe it when I walked around it," Friend said. "The only part of the upper superstructure that has been replaced, according to legend and according to other sources when I did the research, is the upper wheelhouse had been rebuilt with German tank armor because it was damaged by a German grenade"

Friend said he'll be able to relax a little bit once the tugboat gets to Jacksonville.

The ST-479 tugboat, also known as Tiger, is currently docked in Stockholm, Sweden, at Mälarvarvet AB, the city's oldest shipyard.
The ST-479 tugboat, also known as Tiger, is currently docked in Stockholm, Sweden, at Mälarvarvet AB, the city's oldest shipyard.

"We can take some time to double-check all the engines, put new batteries in the boat and actually have it come home on its own power," Friend said.

The massive boat will travel down the St. Johns River as its size — at 86 feet long, 23 feet wide and 30 feet tall — prevents it from being transported on local roadways.

Friend said the biggest hurdle they'll encounter during the stateside trip is Lake George because it's shallow.

"There are ways to deal with that," Friend said of getting the 140-ton boat across Lake George. "We're just not sure which way we're going to go yet."

Now that it looks like the boat will make it back to Volusia County, Friend said he's received a lot of interest from people who want to be on the crew when it travels from Jacksonville to DeLand.

Friend's desire is to build a monument and keep the boat on display, hopefully at Ed Stone Park, 2999 Old New York Ave.

Another of the biggest expenses Friend faces is hiring someone with equipment capable of lifting the 140-ton vessel out of the water and onto the monument.

"The lowest bid I've gotten for that one-hour job is $50,000," Friend said.

Donations to the DeLand Historic Trust, Inc. to bring the tug home may be sent to 2232 Holly Lane, in DeLand, 32724.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: DeLand nonprofit raises funds to bring home locally-made WWII tugboat