San Joaquin County says goodbye to sunken World War II-era tugboat in the Delta

By Josie Heart

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    STOCKTON, California (KCRA) — San Joaquin County is saying goodbye to a piece of history.

The USS Mazapeta is a World War II-era military tugboat that’s been stationed in the Delta at the end of Eight Mile Road for roughly seven years, according to residents.

But in September 2023, the tugboat sank, leaving residents like Chris Willson dismayed.

Willson is the owner of the Aurora ship, which stands on the same waterfront, and was there to witness the day it went under.

“When I came out, it was starting to roll and there was nothing that could be done,” Willson said.

With the sinking came concerns of an oil and gas spill, something state agencies have been monitoring since the boat sank.

This week, agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife Oil Spill Prevention and Response division, and the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, began work to remove the Mazapeta.

Mark Leahey, a lieutenant commander with the U.S. Coast Guard, said they were informed that roughly 1,600 gallons of petroleum products were on board the Mazapeta when it sunk.

On Monday, crews were seen using a crane and dewatering pumps to help raise the Mazapeta out of the water, which made it easier for them to remove those petroleum products.

While some oil was traced back to a different vessel on the water, Leahey said most of the spill came from the Mazapeta. The exact cause of the Mazapeta’s sinking is unknown, but he cited that the boat is around 85 years old and that some holes that were observed during their inspections.

So far, agencies say they have not found any major threat to the surrounding environment where the spill occurred.

But as assessments continue, some boat owners worry that they will have to remove all their boats from the water. According to Leahey, this may not be the case.

“It’s really, we take action on boats like the Mazapeta that are actively discharging into navigable waterways,” Leahey said.

What is the future of the Mazapeta? The U.S. Coast Guard said it is working with other agencies, including the city of Stockton to help transfer the boat over to a contractor that will ultimately dismantle the boat. Part of the reason the decision was made to remove the boat is because agencies have been struggling to track down the boat’s owner.

Willson says he hoped this wouldn’t be the Mazapeta’s fate, considering its uniqueness and history, explaining that there are maybe two or three of them in the state of California.

“It’s going to be gone forever,” Willson said. “That’s very sad.”

The boat was once used for military ceremonies, and as a museum, and comes as a sad loss to some who say this rare type of boat had a lot of sentimental value.

“The veterans would come out here for a week, sometimes two weeks at a time and work on the vessel, go clear through it. People with a heavy skillset for these kinds of vessels and they would hold their reunions on board and try to relive some of their navy years,” Willson said.

The Coast Guard says their work to remove the boat will continue into the end of the week.

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