USNS Cheyenne

Last updated
History
Flag of the United States.svgUnited States
Name1945 SS Middlesex Victory
1947 SS Wyoming
1963 USNS Cheyenne
NamesakeAn Algonquian tribe of Native Americans formerly roving between the Arkansas and Missouri rivers.
Builder Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation, Portland, Oregon
Laid down8 May 1945 under U.S. Maritime Commission contract MCV-693
Launched26 June 1945
In serviceFebruary 1963 as USNS Cheyenne (T-AG-174)
Out of servicedate unknown
Stricken15 June 1973
FateScrapped August 1973
General characteristics
TypePhoenix-class miscellaneous auxiliary
Displacement
  • 6,700 tons light
  • 15,900 tons full load
Length455' 3"
Beam62'
Draft28' 5"
Propulsion steam turbine, single shaft, 8,500hp
Speed17 knots
Complement50 officers and enlisted

USNS Cheyenne (T-AG-174) was a Phoenix-class miscellaneous auxiliary acquired by the U.S. Navy in 1962, crewed by a civilian crew from the Military Sea Transportation Service, and sent to the Philippines to serve as a delivery ship of parts and supplies to other navy ships and stations in the Asian area. Cheyenne remained in the Philippines, issuing parts and other supplies, until the late 1960s. In 1966 she changed home port to Pusan Korea and was crewed by Korean merchant sailors. AT that time she was one of 4 cargo ships and 19 USNS LSTs operating out of the MSTS Office Pusan primarily providing support in the Viet Nam theater. Her master was a former ROK Navy captain, best known as "Speedy Pak". She was struck by the navy in 1973. (Korea information provided by the executive officer of the MSTS Office Pusan 1967–68.)

Contents

Built in Portland, Oregon

Cheyenne was constructed as the victory ship SS Middlesex Victory under U.S. Maritime Commission contract (MCV-693) at Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation, Portland, Oregon. She was launched on 26 June 1945 and renamed SS Wyoming in 1947. In 1963, she was placed in-service as USNS Cheyenne (T-AG-174), a Special Project Ship, crewed by the Military Sea Transportation Service with a civilian crew.

World War II

For World War II the Middlesex Victory was operated by the Pacific-Atlantic Steamship Company under charter with the Maritime Commission and War Shipping Administration. She took needed supplies to troops. In 1948 she was sold to the States Steamship Company of Tacoma and renamed SS Wyoming.

Vietnam War operations

DANFS has no information on the operation of this ship. However, a review of the history of USNS Phoenix and USNS Provo indicates her operations to be similar to theirs: acting as a point to point cargo carrier, delivering military supplies to Okinawa and Vietnam from stocking points in Japan and Subic Bay.

Post-war decommissioning

Along with Phoenix and Provo, Cheyenne was struck from the Navy List on 15 June 1973 and disposed of by MARAD sale, 1 May 1973 and scrapped in August.

Related Research Articles

USNS <i>Watertown</i> American tracking ship

USNS Watertown (T-AGM-6) was a Watertown-class missile range instrumentation ship acquired by the United States Navy in 1960 and converted from her SS Niantic Victory Victory ship cargo configuration to a missile tracking ship, a role she retained for eleven years before being placed out of service in 1971.

USS <i>Denebola</i> (AF-56) Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Denebola (AF-56) was a Denebola-class stores ship acquired by the U.S. Navy. She was built as SS Hibbing Victory as a type VC2-S-AP2 Victory ship built by Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation of Portland, Oregon, under a Maritime Commission. The Maritime Administration cargo ship was the 113th ship built. Its keel was laid on 2 May 1944. The ship was christened on 30 June 1944. She was built at the Oregon Shipbuilding yards in just 59 days, under the Emergency Shipbuilding program for World War II. The 10,600-ton ship was constructed for the Maritime Commission. She was operated by the (Pacific-Atlantic SS Company under the United States Merchant Marine act for the War Shipping Administration. The other two ships in her class were USS Regulus and USNS Perseus. USS Denebola's task was to carry stores, refrigerated items, and equipment to ships in the fleet, and to remote stations and staging areas.

USNS <i>Asterion</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

The SS Arcadia Victory was a Victory ship built during World War II for cargo shipping. She was launched by the California Shipbuilding Company on 1 July 1944 and completed on 22 September 1944. The ship's United States Maritime Commission designation was VC2- S- AP3, hull number 41.

USNS <i>Perseus</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USNS Perseus (T-AF-64) was a Denebola-class stores ship acquired by the U.S. Navy. Her task was to carry stores, refrigerated items, and equipment to ships in the fleet, and to remote stations and staging areas.

USNS <i>Haiti Victory</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

SS Haiti Victory (T-AGM-238) was originally built and operated as Greenville class cargo Victory ship which operated as a cargo carrier in both the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean during World War II.

USNS <i>Dalton Victory</i> American victory-class cargo ship

SS Dalton Victory was built as Victory ship used as a cargo ship for World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding program. She was launched by the California Shipbuilding Company on 6 June 1944 and completed on 19 July 1944 as a Greenville Victory-class cargo ship. The ship’s United States Maritime Commission designation was VC2- S- AP3, hull number 21. She was acquired by the U.S. Navy in 1950 and renamed the USNS Dalton Victory (T-AK-256).

USNS Lt. James E. Robinson (T-AKV-3/T-AG-170/T-AK-274) was a Lt. James E. Robinson-class cargo ship, which was launched as a World War II commercial Victory cargo ship SS Czechoslovakia Victory under the Emergency Shipbuilding program. She had earlier been the U.S. Army's USAT LT. James E. Robinson before being acquired by the U.S. Navy.

USNS Phoenix (T-AG-172) was a Phoenix-class miscellaneous auxiliary acquired by the United States Navy in 1962, crewed by a civilian crew from the Military Sea Transportation Service, and sent to the Philippines to serve as a floating depot. Phoenix remained in the Philippines, issuing parts and other supplies, until the early 1970s, being struck by the Navy in 1973. She was built as a Victory ship for World War II as the SS Capital Victory under the Emergency Shipbuilding program for the War Shipping Administration.

USNS Provo (T-AG-173) was a Phoenix-class miscellaneous auxiliary acquired by the United States Navy in 1962, crewed by a civilian crew from the Military Sea Transportation Service, and sent to the Philippines to serve as a delivery ship of parts and supplies to other Navy ships and stations in the Asian area. Provo remained in the Philippines, issuing parts and other supplies, until the early 1970s, being struck by the Navy in 1973. She was built as a Victory ship for World War II as the SS Drew Victory under the Emergency Shipbuilding program for the War Shipping Administration.

USNS <i>Private Francis X. McGraw</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USNS Private Francis X. McGraw (T-AK-241) was a Boulder Victory-class cargo ship built at the end of World War II and served the war and its demilitarization as a commercial cargo vessel. From 1946 to 1950 she served the U.S. Army as a transport named USAT Private Francis X. McGraw. In 1950 she was acquired by the United States Navy and assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service. In 1974 she ended her career and was scrapped.

USNS <i>Sgt. Andrew Miller</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USNS Sgt. Andrew Miller (T-AK-242) was built as Victory ship SS Radcliffe Victory, a Boulder Victory-class cargo ship, built at the end of World War II. She served during the war and its demilitarization as a commercial cargo vessel operated by American West African Lines under charter with the Maritime Commission and War Shipping Administration. From 1946 to 1950, she served the US Army as a transport named USAT Sgt. Andrew Miller. In 1950, she was acquired by the US Navy and assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS). In 1981 she ended her career and was placed into reserve.

USNS <i>Sgt. Archer T. Gammon</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USNS Sgt. Archer T. Gammon (T-AK-243) was a Boulder Victory-class cargo ship built at the end of World War II and served the war and its demilitarization as a commercial cargo vessel. From 1946 to 1950 she served the U.S. Army as a transport named USAT Sgt. Archer T. Gammon. In 1950 she was acquired by the United States Navy and assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service. In 1973 she ended her career and was struck and scrapped.

USNS Short Splice (T-AK-249) was a US Maritime Administration (MARCOM) C1-M-AV1type coastal cargo ship, originally planned as an Alamosa-class cargo ship. Constructed as Short Splice for MARCOM, completed in August 1945 and placed in operation by the War Shipping Administration during the closing period of World War II. However, the war ended, and she was transferred to the US Army as USAT Short Splice who kept her in service until transferred to the US Navy in 1950.

USNS <i>Sgt. Truman Kimbro</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USNS Sgt. Truman Kimbro (T-AK-254) was a Boulder Victory-class cargo ship built for the U.S. Maritime Commission during the final months of World War II as the SS Hastings Victory.

USNS Rollins (T-AG-189) was one of 12 ships scheduled to be acquired by the United States Navy in February 1966 and converted into forward depot ships and placed into service with the Military Sea Transport Service. SS High Point Victory (MCV-851) was chosen for this conversion and assigned the name Rollins but the program was canceled and the ships were not acquired by the Navy.

USNS <i>Clemson</i>

The SS Lindenwood Victory was a Victory-class cargo ship built during World War II. The Lindenwood Victory was a type VC2-S-AP2 victory ship built by Permanente Metals Corporation, Yard 2, of Richmond, California. The Maritime Administration cargo ship was the 766th ship built. Her keel was laid on May 12, 1945. SS Lindenwood Victory was an armed cargo ship She was built in just 70 days, under the Emergency Shipbuilding program for World War II. SS Lindenwood Victory was an armed cargo ship, named for Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri, one of 150 educational institutions that had Victory ships named after them. The 10,600-ton ship was constructed for the Maritime Commission.

USNS <i>Marine Adder</i>

USNS Marine Adder (T-AP–193) was a troop ship for the United States Navy in the 1950s. She was built in 1945 for the United States Maritime Commission as SS Marine Adder, a Type C4-S-A3 troop ship, by the Kaiser Company during World War II. In 1950, the ship was transferred to the Military Sea Transport Service of the U.S. Navy as a United States Naval Ship staffed by a civilian crew. After ending her naval service in 1957, she entered the National Defense Reserve Fleet, but was sold for commercial use in 1967. She was used in part to carry supplies to support the Vietnam War efforts. During the Summer of 1972 while in Da Nang Port, South Vietnam, a limpet mine was attached to the vessel by a swimmer, blowing a hole in the hull upon detonation. In order to save the ship, the Skipper ran it aground in the Da Nang harbor. The US Navy standby salvage ship USS Grasp with its crew of divers installed a box patch over the hole and pumped the water from the bilges, before moving the ship to a pier. US Army tanks hung from ship booms to heel the ship so that a metal patch could be welded in place to return the ship to duty. SS Transcolorado, she was chartered by the Military Sealift Command as a civilian cargo ship designated T-AK-2005.

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

SS Luxembourg Victory was a Victory ship built for the United States during World War II. She was launched by the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation on February 28, 1944, and was completed on April 5, 1944. The ship's US Maritime Commission designation was VC2-S-AP3, hull number 90 (V-90). She was built in 101 days under the Emergency Shipbuilding program. The Maritime Commission turned her over to a civilian contractor, the Lykes Brothers SS Company, for operation until the end of World War II hostilities. She was operated under the US Merchant Marine Act for the War Shipping Administration.

USNS <i>Marine Phoenix</i>

USS Marine Phoenix (T-AP-195) was a Marine Adder-class transport that saw service with the US Navy for the task of transporting troops to and from combat areas. She was of the C4-S-A3 design type.

USNS <i>Norwalk</i> United States Navy auxiliary ship

USNS Norwalk (T-AK-279) was the first in her class, a Fleet Ballistic Missile Cargo Ship, which was launched as a World War II commercial Victory cargo ship SS Norwalk Victory under the Emergency Shipbuilding program. The Norwalk Victory was acquired by the U.S. Navy in 1963.

References