USS Bucyrus Victory
.jpg) USS Bucyrus Victory (AK-234) probably photographed when she returned to San Francisco from the Western Pacific in December 1945.
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| History | |
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 United States | |
| Name | Bucyrus Victory |
| Namesake | City of Bucyrus , Ohio |
| Ordered | as type (VC2-S-AP2) hull, MCV hull 543 |
| Builder | Permanente Metals Corporation, Richmond, California |
| Yard number | Yard No.1 |
| Laid down | 1 September 1944 |
| Launched | 31 October 1944 |
| Sponsored by | Miss Eleanor Fogley |
| Acquired | 29 November 1944 |
| Commissioned | 29 November 1944 |
| Decommissioned | 24 April 1946 |
| Stricken | 8 May 1946 |
| Identification | Hull symbol: AK-234 |
| Honors and awards | one battle star during World War II |
| Fate | Scrapped in October 1969 |
| General characteristics [1] | |
| Class and type | Boulder Victory-class cargo ship |
| Displacement |
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| Length | 455 ft (139 m) |
| Beam | 62 ft (19 m) |
| Draft | 29 ft 2 in (8.89 m) |
| Installed power | 6,000 shp (4,500 kW) |
| Propulsion |
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| Speed | 15.5 kn (17.8 mph; 28.7 km/h) |
| Complement | 99 officers and enlisted |
| Armament |
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USS Bucyrus Victory (AK-234) was a
Victory built in California
Bucyrus Victory (AK-234) was laid down on 1 September 1944 at
World War II operations
The urgent need for ammunition carriers to resupply the fleet prosecuting the final stages of the war against Japan in the Pacific Ocean prompted the Navy's acquisition of Bucyrus Victory and several of her sisters. That exigency also precluded conversion work and limited her fitting out and shakedown periods to the absolute minimum.
She completed shakedown training during the third week in December, loaded cargo at
After about a month, she moved to
Supporting the Okinawa campaign
The ship remained at Ulithi for just over two weeks, first discharging her original cargo to fleet units preparing for the assault on
Though enemy air attacks interrupted her work and sometimes stopped it altogether, Bucyrus Victory suffered no damage and took little or no part in the anti-air defense of the anchorage. She returned to sea on 11 April and rejoined Task Group 50.8 briefly before parting company with the replenishment group in accordance with orders directing her to Ulithi. There, the ship took on Okinawa-bound supplies—primarily ammunition for units of the U.S. 5th Fleet—before leaving Ulithi at the end of April.
Danger from air attack
She pulled into
On 17 May, she emerged unscathed from the anchorage and rejoined Task Group 50.8 in the holding area 24 hours steaming time to the east of Okinawa. A few days thereafter, the ersatz ammunition ship headed back to Ulithi. She remained at Ulithi until 4 June at which time she got underway for the
Supporting occupation forces
After the
Post-war decommissioning and career
On 16 November, she headed back to the
Honors and awards
Bucyrus Victory earned one
- Okinawa Gunto operation - Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 3 to 11 April and 3 to 17 May 1945
Qualified Bucyrus Victory personnel were eligible for the following:
- American Campaign Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal(1)
- World War II Victory Medal
- Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
- Philippines Liberation Medal
References
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
- NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive - AK-234 Bucyrus Victory
Boulder Victory class |
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Greenville Victory class |
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Lt. James E. Robinson class |
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