SS Maritime Victory
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| Career |  |
|---|---|
| Class: | VC2-S-AP2/WSAT |
| Yard: | Bethlehem Steel, Fairfield, Baltimore MD |
| Numbers: | 821 |
| Contract Date: | |
| Laid down: | |
| Launched: | May, 1945 |
| Delivered: | 18 June 1945 |
| Operator: | Army War Department, Army Transport |
| Fate: | Beaumont Reserve Fleet (until April, 2006); awaits scrapping summer 2006 in Brownsville, TX |
| General Characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 7,607 Tons |
| Length: | 455 feet |
| Beam: | 62 feet |
| Draft: | 28 feet 6 inches |
| Propulsion: | Allis-Chalmers cross-compound steam turbine with double reduction gears, 6,000 horsepower @ 100 revolutions per minute |
| Speed: | 17 knots |
| Range: | 23,500 miles |
| Capacity: | 500,000 cubic feet (approximate) |
| Complement: | 62 United States Merchant Marine and United States Navy Armed Guard |
| Armament: | 5-inch stern gun, 3-inch bow anti-aircraft gun, eight Oerlikon 20 mm cannon |
The Maritime Victory, hull number 821, VC2-S-AP2/WSAT was launched in May, 1945. This ship was delivered on June 18, 1945. It was transferred to the Army War Department as an Army Transport. The ship saw duty just after World War II.
The Maritime Victory was unusual in that as an AP2 vessel the cargo holds were converted for troop berthing (though with reduced cargo carrying ability) and topside cargo handling gear was retained.
Contents |
[edit] Wartime service
The Maritime Victory was delivered to the USAT as a transport June, 1945. The ship made several crossings carrying troops from the European Theater of Operations, especially between Le Havre and New York. From Le Havre it often left from the area known as the Cigarette Camps.
[edit] Post war service
In 1947 the ship was transferred to the U.S. Army and subsequently renamed the Pvt. Frederick C. Murphy in 1950. Frederick C. Murphy was a Medal of Honor recipient in World War II.
[edit] Ready Reserve Fleet
The ship was preserved (mothballed) at the Beaumont Reserve Fleet in Beaumont, Texas. It was laid up in 1950.
From 1983 to about 1990 the Fredrick C. Murphy was used as the fleet utility ship at Beaumont Reserve.
[edit] Fate
Note: As of May 17, 2006 the ship has been removed from inventory of Beaumont Reserve. It is now located at Esco in Brownsville, TX and awaits scrapping. Scrapping may be complete as soon as September, 2006.
[edit] Known sailings
| Date | From - To | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 7 JAN 1946 to 19 JAN 1946 | Le Havre, France to New York, NY | Transport 84th Infantry Division (some elements) |
| 17 MAY 1946 to 26 MAY 1946 | Bremerhaven, Germany to New York, NY | Transport 102nd Infantry Division (Ozarks), 405th Infantry Regiment |
| 15 AUG 1946 to ?? ??? 1946 | New York, NY to ????, ?? | German war prisoners (per Fulton Patriot, August 15, 1946) |
| 23 DEC 1946 to 02 JAN 19476 | Bremerhaven, Germany to New York, NY | Transport US Soldiers back to United States (Some US Army Occupation troops) |
