DeLand's WWII tugboat Tiger returns home after nearly 80 years

A piece of DeLand’s World War II history has made its way back home — but the volunteers who spent years bringing it there say the work is far from over.The Tiger, a 140-ton tugboat built on Lake Beresford in 1944, is now docked on the same lake where it was constructed — within 600 feet of its original build site. After spending nearly 80 years overseas supporting the Allied effort in Europe, the vessel was brought back from Sweden in 2022 and has spent time stuck in the mud along the St. Johns River. As of last week, volunteers successfully moved it to Lake Beresford.But those volunteers say they are now in a race against time.“You know, the largest concern we have is that she’s been in the water 82 years and could sink at any time,” said DeLand historian Dan Friend.Friend has spent years working to bring the Tiger home — a labor of love that included raising the funds needed to transport the vessel back from Sweden. Now, the next challenge is getting it out of the water entirely.“We