SS Wheaton Victory

Last updated
WSA Photo 4235.jpg
California Shipbuilding Company
History
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
NameWheaton Victory
Namesake Wheaton College
Owner War Shipping Administration
Operator Marine Transport Line
Builder California Shipbuilding Company, Los Angeles
Laid down27 January 1945
Launched22 March 1945
Completed14 April 1945
FateWrecked on 26 October 1963
General characteristics
Class and typeVC2-S-AP3 Victory ship
Tonnage7612 GRT, 4,553 NRT
Displacement15,200 tons
Length455 ft (139 m)
Beam62 ft (19 m)
Draught28 ft (8.5 m)
Installed power8,500  shp (6,300 kW)
PropulsionHP & LP turbines geared to a single 20.5-foot (6.2 m) propeller, by Westinghouse Electric & Mfg. Co., Essington
Speed16.5 knots
Boats & landing
craft carried
4 Lifeboats
Complement62 Merchant Marine and 28 US Naval Armed Guards
Armament
Notes [1]

The SS Wheaton Victory was a class of Victory ship built during World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding program. She was launched by the California Shipbuilding Company on 22 March 1945. The ship was completed and delivered to the wartime operator of all United States oceangoing shipping, the War Shipping Administration (WSA), on 14 April 1945. Wheaton Victory was assigned to Marine Transport Line, under a standard WSA operating agreement at that time. That agreement continued until the ship's sale in 1947. The ship's United States Maritime Commission designation was VC2-S-AP3, hull number 776. Wheaton Victory was converted from a cargo ship to a troopship to bring troops home after the war as part of Operation Magic Carpet.

Contents

Wheaton Victory was one of the new 10,500-ton class ship to be known as Victory ships. Victory ships were designed to replace the earlier Liberty Ships. Liberty ships were designed to be used just for World War II. Victory ships were designed to last longer and serve the US Navy after the war. The Victory ship differed from a Liberty ship in that they were: faster, longer and wider, taller, had a thinner stack set farther toward the superstructure and had a long raised forecastle. [2] [3] The ship's namesake is for Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois. The SS Wheaton Victory was a Victory ship laid down on 27 January 1945 and one of a series of ships named for American colleges and universities.

Typical Victory Ship RedOakVictory-2013-07-20.jpg
Typical Victory Ship

World War II

Wheaton Victory served as a troopship take troops to and from Europe. [4] [5] Wheaton Victory and 96 other Victory ships were converted to troopships take troops to Europe. Later she was used to bring the US soldiers home as part of Operation Magic Carpet from port cities known as Cigarette Camps. She was able to transport up to 1,500 troops to and from Europe. Her cargo holds were converted to bunk beds and hammocks stack three high for hot bunking. In the cargo hold Mess halls and exercise places were also added. [6] [7]

Trips: On July 22, 1945 Wheaton Victory arrived at New York City. On November 25, 1945 Wheaton Victory arrived at Newport News, Virginia with 1,915 troops with the 75th Infantry Division; 2nd battalion, 289th infantry; 3rd battalion, and 289th infantry. On December 27, 1945, the Wheaton Victory arrived at Boston from Antwerp, Belgium with 1,544 troops including the 539th Field Artillery Observation Battalion with medics, 8th field artillery observation battalion with medics, and the 759th tank battalion with medics. On January 26, 1946, the Wheaton Victory arrived at New York from Le Havre, France with 1,518 troops including 602nd antiaircraft artillery battalion and the 196th general hospital. On March 8, 1946, the Wheaton Victory arrived at New York from Antwerp with 1,501 troops, including 559th anti-arcraft artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion and the 825th Medical Detachment. On April 10, 1946, the Wheaton Victory arrived at New York from Antwerp with 931 troops, including 465th and 958th Quarter Masters companies. On May 16, 1946, the Wheaton Victory arrived at New York from Le Havre with 710 troops. On June 25, 1946, the Wheaton Victory arrived at New York from Bremen. On August 3, 1946, the Wheaton Victory arrived at New York from Bremerhaven with 1,372 army troops. On August 15, 1946, the Wheaton Victory departed New York bound for the Panama Canal. [8] [9]

Post war

In 1947 the Wheaton Victory was sold to the Van Nievelt, Goudriaan & Company of Rotterdam and renamed the SS Alpherat. In 1963 she was sold to China Merchants S.N. Company of Keelung and renamed the SS Hai Fu. On 26 October 1963 she ran aground at the entrance to Honolulu Harbour. She was refloated, the damage made her not worth repairing. In 1964 she was towed to Taiwan and scrapped.

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Magic Carpet</span> Repatriation of over eight million American military personnel after WWII

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SS <i>Sea Owl</i>

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SS <i>Claymont Victory</i> Victory ship of the United States

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SS <i>Lincoln Victory</i> United States Merchant Marine ship

The SS Lincoln Victory was a Victory ship built during World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding program. She was built by the California Shipbuilding Company, launched on April 27, 1944 and completed on June 15, 1944. The ship’s United States Maritime Commission designation was VC2-S-AP3, hull number 13 (V13); she was initially operated by the Eastern SS Lines as a United States Merchant Marine ship.

SS <i>Cody Victory</i> United States Merchant Marine ship

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The SS Cranston Victory was the 19th of 531 Victory ships built during World War II. Cranston was launched by the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation on 12 January 1944, completing its journey on 28 February 1944. The ship's United States Maritime Commission designation was VC2-S-AP3, hull number 103 (1019). The Maritime Commission turned it over to a civilian contractor, the South Atlantic Steamship Company, for operation.

SS <i>U.S.S.R. Victory</i> Victory ship of the United States

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SS <i>United States Victory</i> Victory ship of the United States

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SS <i>Mexico Victory</i> Victory ship of the United States

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SS <i>Hagerstown Victory</i> Victory ship of the United States

SS Hagerstown Victory was a Victory ship-based troop transport built for the U.S. Army Transportation Corps (USAT) late in World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding program. It saw service in the European Theater of Operations during 1945 and in the immediate post-war period repatriating U.S. troops. Hagerstown Victory was one of 97 cargo Victory ships converted to a troopship.

SS <i>Rushville Victory</i> Victory ship of the United States

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SS <i>New Bern Victory</i> Victory ship of the United States

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SS <i>Georgetown Victory</i> Victory ship of the United States

SS Georgetown Victory was a Victory ship built for the War Shipping Administration late in World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding program. She was a type VC2-S-AP2/WSAT cargo ship with the United States Maritime Commission (MCV) -"Victory"; hull number 653, shipyard number 1597 and built by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation in Baltimore, Maryland, she was laid down on 8 March 1945. Georgetown Victory, named after Georgetown University, was launched from the Bethlehem-Fairfield shipyard at Baltimore on April 28, 1945 and completed on 22 May 1945.

SS <i>India Victory</i> United States Merchant Marine ship

SS India Victory was a Victory ship built and operated as a cargo carrier and troopship in World War II. After the war the ship was used a private cargo ship. She sank on 12 July 1972, ran aground on a Pratas Reef in the South China in Typhoon Susan.

SS <i>Tufts Victory</i> Victory ship of the United States

The SS Tufts Victory was a class of Victory ship built during World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding program. She was launched by the California Shipbuilding Company on 2 March 194. The ship was completed and delivered to the wartime operator of all United States oceangoing shipping, the War Shipping Administration (WSA), on 28 March 1945. Tufts Victory, official number 247512, was assigned to American Mail Line, under a standard WSA operating agreement at that time. That agreement continued until the ship's sale in 1947. The ship's United States Maritime Commission designation was VC2-S-AP3, hull number 771. Tufts Victory was converted from a cargo ship to a troopship to bring troops home after the war as part of Operation Magic Carpet.

References

  1. Babcock & Wilcox (April 1944). "Victory Ships". Marine Engineering and Shipping Review.
  2. "National parks, Reading 2: Victory Ships".
  3. /shipbuildinghistory.com, Victory ships
  4. "Troopships of World War II". www.armed-guard.com.
  5. "marad.dot.gov, Troop s ships" (PDF).
  6. "1945 Troop Ship Crossings - July to December". www.ww2troopships.com.
  7. "Troop Ship of World War II, April 1947, Page 356-357" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2020-10-30. Retrieved 2022-01-11.
  8. "S.S. Victory Wheaton | ReCollections".
  9. "WHEATON VICTORY". Ships Nostalgia. 18 March 2020.

Sources