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F.M. WHITAKER
Pictured as: the Gladys B. (E.N. Bisso and Son) Photo by: Captain Peter

Built in 1937, by Newport News Shipbuilding of Newport News, Virginia (hull #366) as the F.M. Whitaker for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Company of Richmond, Virginia.

In 1964, the tug was acquired by E.N. Bisso and Son Incorporated of Metairie, Louisiana. Where she was renamed as the Gladys B.

The tug was renamed for E.N. Bisso and Son Incorporated founder Captain Edwin Napoleon Bisso's wife, Gladys Bisso.

In 2014, she was phased out of active service, and dropped from documentation. Where she was "laid up." In April 2018 the tug was "reefed" in 100 feet of water off Mobile Bay, Alabama.

She was powered by a single, twelve cylinder, Fairbanks Morse diesel engine. The tug was single screw, rated at 2,400 horsepower.


  • Vessel Name: F.M. WHITAKER
  • USCG Doc. No.: 236798
  • Vessel Service: TOWING VESSEL
  • Trade Indicator: Coastwise, Unrestricted
  • Call Sign: WDC3024
  • Hull Material: STEEL
  • Hull Number: 366
  • Ship Builder: NEWPORT NEWS SHIPBUILDING
  • Year Built: 1937
  • Length: 102.8
  • Hull Depth: 13.6
  • Hull Breadth: 28.1
  • Gross Tonnage: 195
  • Net Tonnage: 133
  • Previous Vessel Names:
    F. M. Whitaker, GLADYS B.
  • Previous Vessel Owners:
    Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Co., E N BISSO & SON INC, E N BISSO & SON INC