Two New Corps Tugs Christened at the Soo

SAULT STE. MARIE, MI – Engineers Day at the Soo Locks started off last Friday morning with a historic christening of two new U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) vessels inside the MacArthur Lock. The tugboats H.J. Lawson and R.J. Pearce are the latest additions to their Great Lakes fleet.

USACE officials say the two 76-foot Ice Class tugboats are significant to the Soo Locks and the St. Marys River navigation mission. From breaking through ice to keep commerce moving during the harsh Great Lakes winter months, to performing critical maintenance and towing heavy barges, these vessels will ensure that this vital maritime artery remains open, safe and efficient year-round. Both vessels were built at Conrad Shipyard in Morgan City, Louisiana.

Ronald Johnston Pearce dedicated his life and career to the St. Marys River and the Sault Ste. Marie maritime community. His connection to the area began in 1942 at just 13 years old, serving as a Civil Defense messenger delivering mail to the 15,000 troops stationed at the Soo Locks. Pearce had an extensive career thereafter with the USACE retiring in 2009 after serving for 35 years. Pearce passed away just before his 92nd birthday.

Harold J. Lawson was a lifelong resident of Sault Ste. Marie, who dedicated his 30-year career to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the development of the region’s vital waterways. After graduating from Michigan Technological University in 1955 with a degree in civil engineering, Lawson served in the U.S. Army at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and continued his service in the Army Reserves for eight years. Lawson, too, served proudly in the USACE for three decades. He passed away in 2018.

Members of both families were in attendance.

“I think it is a real tribute to Harold and for the years he worked for the Corps. Oh, we thought it was real great. It’s got the latest electronics and everything in it so it’s a real beautiful tug,” said brother Wilmer Lawson.

“Two amazing gentlemen that really shaped the Corps of Engineers but really more importantly right here in the Soo and the Eastern Upper Peninsula area, the gentlemen worked on Poe Lock construction, new vessel builds and you know what we really see today as a responsibility to the Corps of Engineers,” said Justin Proulx, chief of St. Marys River Section USACE.

Soo Leader