FILE PHOTO / MAY 2001 The USS Hoga, involved in the Pearl Harbor attack, now sits rusting in San Francisco.

Navy offers key
WWII tugboat to isles

A plan to preserve the USS Hoga
must be devised by June 13

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By Burl Burlingame
bburlingame@starbulletin.com

The U.S. Navy has given Hawaii until mid-June to approve a plan for preserving the Pearl Harbor attack veteran USS Hoga, otherwise the tugboat will go to other bidders in Arkansas or Florida or be scrapped.

Museum officials and historians met yesterday at the USS Bowfin submarine museum to discuss the issue.

"This time might be the charm, with interest peaking in patriotism and preserving history," said Gerry Hofwolt, museum director.

The Hoga is the last surviving vessel from the attack. The 100-foot tugboat fought fires on Battleship Row and saved the battleship USS Nevada, pushing it ashore so it would not block the channel. After the war, Hoga became Oakland's primary firefighting vessel until it was retired and returned to the Navy nearly a decade ago.

Honolulu supporters formed Friends of the Hoga, a nonprofit group dedicated to preserving the ship in Pearl Harbor.

The ship remains rusting in San Francisco Bay, despite being categorized both a National Historic Landmark by the Park Service and one of "America's Top 11 Endangered Historic Sites" by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

"We raised about $5,000 in contributions and stopped until we knew what was happening," said Friends founder and President Frank McHale.

The group discussed where best to display the boat.

Hofwolt explained that the area between the USS Bowfin Museum and the USS Arizona Memorial Visitor Center is earmarked for the Ford Island development project, still in the planning stage.

Other proposals will take precedence if a Hawaii plan is not accepted by the Navy by June 13.

One such plan calls for the tugboat to be placed as an attraction at the William Jefferson Clinton Library, under construction in Arkansas.

"Anything that saves the Hoga from the scrapyards has to be considered," said Daniel Martinez, a National Park Service historian and Friends of Hoga member.

"It will have to go where it's best-loved."