Defoe Shipbuilding Company as a Presidential Yacht. It was called the "Barbara Anne" by President Eisenhower after his granddaughter, the "Honey Fitz" by President Kennedy in honor of his maternal grandfather John Francis Fitzgerald, and the "Tricia" by President Nixon after his daughter. In 1941, the name of the company was changed to Defoe Shipbuilding Company. During World War II, all production went to the war effort. From 1939 to 1945, the company built 154 ships, including four s, 13 destroyer escorts, 11 destroyer transports (converted destroyer escorts), patrol craft, and numerous landing craft of various types. The brand-new Defoe family yacht even
Mary Anderson (yacht) yacht of the Governor of East Bengal. Following the Independence of Bangladesh in 1971, the yacht became the official yacht of the President of Bangladesh. In 1978, the President of Bangladesh, Ziaur Rahman, donated the yacht to the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, a state owned tourism corporation. The Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation decided to convert the yacht into a floating restaurant which was opened on 24 September 1978. The restaurant proved to be popular among tourists. It had a seating capacity of 72 people and dining capacity of 24 people. It was a paddle boat and the first floating restaurant of Bangladesh.