The tuna boats comprised another big fleet in San Diego, and their owners and crews have been a significant part of the community. Their fortunes rose and fell with the catch, jostling national economies, international claims of fishing rights, oil prices, and everything else that floats.
Lesser known is the fact that fifty-two boats, more than half of the California fleet, were commandeered by the military in 1941 and 1942. Often manned by their own fishing crews, they ran picket duty to guard the Panama Canal, and delivered fuel to Pacific Island bases all the way across. Their superb refrigeration systems were valuable in ferrying perishables to our far-flung troops. Their shallow draft and long range got them in and out of distant, difficult, and dangerous places. They weren’t just boats; they were lifelines.