USNS Aiken Victory
History | |
---|---|
United States | |
Name | USNS Aiken Victory (T-AP-188) |
Namesake | Aiken, South Carolina |
Owner | War Shipping Administration |
Operator | Mississippi Shipping Company, then US Navy |
Builder | Bethlehem Steel, Fairfield yard |
Laid down | 13 October 1944 |
Launched | 30 November 1944 |
Sponsored by | Mrs E. H. Wyman |
Acquired | (By the Navy): 21 July 1950 |
In service |
|
Stricken | 12 February 1953 |
Identification | MC hull type VC2-S-AP2, MC hull no. 616 |
Honors and awards | Eight battle stars for Korean War service |
Fate | Sold for scrap, 10 August 1971 |
General characteristics | |
Displacement | 4,480 tons (lt), 10,680 t. (fl) |
Length | 455 ft |
Beam | 62 ft |
Draft | 29 ft 2 in |
Propulsion | Cross compound steam turbine, single screw, 8,500 shp |
Speed | 15.5 knots |
Armament |
|
Notes | [1] |
USNS Aiken Victory (T-AP-188) was a Victory ship-based troop transport that served with the United States Army Transport Service during both World War II and the Korean War. She was one of a class of 84 dedicated troop transports.[2]
She was laid down as a VC2-S-AP2 hull, no. 616
She was reactivated on July 21, 1950, to join the
World War II
During World War II, Aiken Victory was operated by the firm Mississippi Shipping company, under a contract with the
Following the end of hostilities, that company continued to operate her under contract until she was put in the National Defense Reserve Fleet in Suisun Bay on February 22, 1947.[3]
MSTS service – Korean War
The United States Navy acquired the ship on 21 July 1950 in the wake of the outbreak the Korean War the previous month. Designated T-AP-188, the ship was assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service as a troopship transport. In May 1951, she transported the Colombia Battalion to Korea, with a stop-over in Hawaii.[6]
Operated by a civil service crew, USNS Aiken Victory carried troops in the Korean War combat zone for almost 30 months. She earned eight
Awards
Aiken Victory received eight
References
- ^ Babcock & Wilcox (April 1944). "Victory Ships". Marine Engineering and Shipping Review.
- ^ APPENDIX B: VICTORY TROOPSHIP CONVERSIONS [1] p. 13
- ^ a b c d Maritime Victory ship history at US DOT Maritime Administration
- ^ MARINERS, THE WEBSITE OF THE MARINERS MAILING LIST., VICTORY SHIPS
- ^ Convoy cu63
- S2CID 159487629.
- ^ Plowman, Peter. Across the Sea to War: Australian and New Zealand Troop Convoys. Vol. 1. p. 444.
- ^ Forbes, Cameron. The Korean War. p. 153.
- USAT Aiken Victory – DANFS Online.
- T-AP-188 Aiken Victory, Navsource Online.