 The propulsion plant consisted of two oil fired Babcock & Wilcox watertube boilers supplying steam driving a Curtis turbine directly driving a generator that supplied alternating current to a 2,600 horsepower electric drive motor.Propulsion controls were either electronic or by hand and the machinery was self lubricating with the notable result of ease of operation.The cutter was commissioned "Tampa" on 15 September 1921, Lieutenant Commander M. J. Wheeler, USCG, in command.