USS Potomac (AG-25)

The USS Potomac (AG-25) was once known as the USCGC Electra. From 1936 until 1945, it served as Franklin D. Roosevelt's special ship for relaxing and meeting with important people. One famous time, on August 3, 1941, the ship helped keep things safe while Roosevelt had a private meeting to plan the Atlantic Charter.

Today, the USS Potomac and the USS Sequoia are the last remaining special ships used by U.S. leaders. Another ship called the USS Williamsburg was taken apart in January 2016. Now, the USS Potomac sits in Oakland, California, where people can visit and learn about its history. It is very important because it is a National Historic Landmark and the only ship like this that anyone can see.

Service history

1934–1945

Potomac was built in 1934 by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, as the United States Coast Guard Cutter Electra. Commissioned on 25 October 1934, Electra was a submarine chaser that served in anti-bootlegging operations. It was chosen to be the new presidential yacht because the Secret Service thought the USS Sequoia could catch fire easily. President Franklin D. Roosevelt wanted a boat where he could move around and go fishing. Electra was renamed USS Potomac on 30 January 1936 and became part of the United States Navy on 2 March 1936.

The ship was upgraded with special features for President Roosevelt, including an elevator inside a fake smokestack so he could move around easily. It also got new rooms and furniture. Even with these changes, the ship would rock a lot in rough water, making some guests feel sick.

In the years that followed, USS Potomac was used a lot by President Roosevelt for fishing and informal meetings. In 1939, the United Kingdom’s King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visited with the Roosevelts aboard Potomac at George Washington’s home at Mount Vernon. This was the first time British royalty had visited an American president. The ship was known as the “Floating White House.”

On 3 August 1941, President Roosevelt left Washington to board Potomac at the submarine base at New London, Connecticut. Potomac sailed to Apponagansett Bay, Massachusetts, where the president went fishing and met guests. Later, Potomac met the heavy cruiser USS Augusta, and the president moved to Augusta for a secret meeting with Winston Churchill in Newfoundland. They agreed to the Atlantic Charter, which helped shape the partnership of the Allies in World War II and plans for the United Nations after the war.

After President Roosevelt passed away, Potomac was returned to the US Coast Guard in November 1945.

1945–1980

USS Potomac was decommissioned by President Harry S. Truman, who chose the larger USS Williamsburg as his presidential yacht. After being decommissioned, Potomac stayed in Cambridge, Maryland, working for the state's fisheries until 1960. It was later sold and used for different purposes, including a museum ship and a ferry.

1980–present

In 1980, Potomac was caught up in a drug bust in Mexico but was later seized and sank in San Francisco Bay. It was refloated and sold to the Port of Oakland. The non-profit Association for the Preservation of the Presidential Yacht Potomac began restoring the yacht. In 1995, it opened to the public at Jack London Square in Oakland, where it is still visited today.

In popular culture

In June 2011, the USS Potomac was used to film scenes for the movie The Master. Famous actors like Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Amy Adams filmed parts of the movie on the yacht, both while it was docked and while it was sailing.

Awards

The USS Potomac received several important medals for its service. These included the American Defense Service Medal, the American Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal. These medals show the important role the ship played during its time in service.