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The Victory ship was a class of cargo ship produced in large numbers by North American shipyards during World War II to replace losses caused by German submarines. They were a more modern design compared to the earlier Liberty ship, were slightly larger and had more powerful steam turbine engines giving higher speed to allow participation in high speed convoys and make them more difficult targets for German U-boats. A total of 531 Victory ships were built.
The New York Shipbuilding Corporation was an American shipbuilding company that operated from 1899 to 1968, ultimately completing more than 500 vessels for the U.S. Navy, the United States Merchant Marine, the United States Coast Guard, and other maritime concerns. At its peak during World War II, NYSB was the largest and most productive shipyard in the world. Its best-known vessels include the destroyer USS Reuben James (DD-245), the cruiser USS Indianapolis (CA-35), the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63), the nuclear-powered cargo ship NS Savannah, and a quartet of cargo-passenger liners nicknamed the Four Aces.
USS Deimos (AK-78) was a Crater-class cargo ship in the service of US Navy in World War II. It was the first ship of the Navy to have borne the name Deimos, after one of the moons of Mars.
The USS Cetus (AK-77) was a Crater-class cargo ship in the service of the US Navy in World War II. Named after the equatorial constellation Cetus, it was the only ship of the Navy to bear this name.
USS Alamance (AKA-75) was a Tolland-class attack cargo ship of the United States Navy named after Alamance County, North Carolina. Like all AKAs, Alamance was designed to carry military cargo and landing craft, and to use the latter to land weapons, supplies, and soldiers or Marines on enemy shores during amphibious operations. She served as a commissioned ship for 18 months.
The Algol-class vehicle cargo ships, also known as Fast Sealift Ships (FSS) or SL-7s, are currently the fastest cargo ships in the world, capable of speeds in excess of 33 knots (61 km/h). Originally built in 1972 and 1973 as high-speed container ships known as SL-7's for Sea-Land Services, Inc., the ships' high operating costs limited their profitability. All eight ships were acquired by the US Navy in 1981 and 1982, with the last ship converted, delivered to and placed in service with Military Sealift Command in 1986. The conversion entailed the installation of four cranes, addition of roll on/roll off capability and a redesign of the cargo hold to better facilitate storage of vehicles. Due largely to their high cost of operation, all fast sealift ships are kept in Reduced Operating Status, but can be activated and ready to sail in 96 hours. All ships are named after bright stars in the night sky.
USS Mizar (AF-12) was a United Fruit Company cargo and passenger liner that served as a United States Navy Mizar-class stores ship in World War II.
USS West Coast (ID-3315) was a cargo ship for the United States Navy during World War I. The ship was laid down as SS War Dagger but launched in July 1918 as SS West Coast and reverted to that name at the end of her Navy service.
USS Zaanland was a cargo ship that served in the United States Navy in 1918.
USS Howick Hall (ID-1303) was a cargo ship launched in 1910 and in service till 1942. She served in the United States Navy from 1918 to 1919; she was lost in the German bombing of a British Arctic convoy in 1942.
USS Moccasin (ID-1322) was a United States Navy refrigerated cargo ship in commission from 1918-1919. She was the third ship to carry her name.
USS Mexican (ID-1655) was a United States Navy cargo ship and animal transport in commission from 1917 to 1919. She operated as the commercial steamship SS Mexican from 107 to 1917 and from 1919 to 1948.
USS Kerowlee was a United States Navy cargo ship in commission from 1918 to 1919.
USS West Madaket (ID-3636), was a cargo ship that served in the United States Navy from 1918 to 1919.
USNS Pollux (T-AK-290), later T-AKR-290, the fourth United States Navy ship of the name, is an Algol-class vehicle cargo ship that is currently maintained by the United States Maritime Administration as part of the Ready Reserve Force (RRF) as SS Pollux (T-AKR-290).
SS Comet may refer to one of several Type C2 ships built for the United States Maritime Commission:
USS West Zula (ID-3501) was a United States Navy cargo ship in commission from 1918 to 1919.
The second USS Antares (AK-258) was a United States Navy Greenville Victory-class cargo ship in commission from 1952 to 1959. She was converted into a general stores issue ship (AKS-33) in 1959-1960 and remained in commission as such until 1964. She saw extensive service during the Cold War. Prior to her U.S. Navy career, she had operated as the merchant ship SS Nampa Victory during the latter stages of World War II and in the years immediately after the war.
