USNS Perseus in March 1963 | |
History | |
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United States | |
Name | SS Union Victory |
Namesake | Union College |
Owner | War Shipping Administration |
Operator | Alaska Transportation Company |
Ordered |
|
Builder | Oregon Shipbuilding Corp., Portland, OR. |
Laid down | 30 March 1945 |
Launched | 11 May 1945 |
Completed | 8 June 1945 |
Out of service | 14 October 1952 |
Fate | Transferred to US Navy 7 November 1961 |
History | |
United States | |
Name | USNS Perseus (T-AF-64) |
Owner | US Navy |
Operator | US Navy |
Ordered | VC-2-S-AP3 hull, MCV hull 683 |
In service | September 1962 |
Reclassified | Cargo, stores, refrigerated items |
Refit | Provisions Store Ship at Willamette Iron and Steel Co., Portland, OR. |
Stricken | 15 June 1973 |
Fate | Scrapped at Kaohsiung in 1974 |
General characteristics | |
Displacement | 4,960 tons(lt), 11,900 tons (fl) |
Length | 455 ft 3 in (138.76 m) |
Beam | 62 ft (19 m) |
Draught | 28 ft 6 in (8.69 m) |
Propulsion | geared steam turbine, single propeller, 8,500shp |
Speed | 16.5 kts. |
Complement | 56 |
Armament |
|
Notes | [1] |
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.
Perseus was laid down as SS Union Victory a Victory ship, (MCV hull 683) by the Oregon Shipbuilding Corp., Portland, Oregon, 30 March 1945; launched 11 May 1945; sponsored by Mrs. Claude F. Palmer; and delivered to the Maritime Commission, 8 June 1945. For cargo transport during World War II.
Operated on contract from the Maritime Commission, SS Union Victory carried military cargoes during the last months of World War II in the Pacific Ocean; the initial year of the European Occupation; and, four years later, the Korean War. After Korea she returned to commercial transport, then entered the Maritime Administration’s National Defense Reserve Fleet. Union Victory was delivered to the Maritime Commission, 8 June 1945 transferred under a General Agency Agreement to Alaska Transportation Company On 28 June 1946 transferred for operation to Black Diamond Steamship Company. Operation transferred to the South Atlantic SS Company on 21 October 1948. She was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet in Beaumont Texas on 12 November 1948. On 27 July 1950 she was put back into service and transferred to the Mississippi Shipping Company. Transferred operation to American Mail Line on 19 April 1952. She was laid up again into the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Olympia, WA. on 26 May 1952. She was put back in service and transferred back to the American Mail Line Ltd. on 25 September 1952. On 14 October 1952 she again was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Olympia, WA. On SS 7 November 1961 the SS Union Victory ownership was transferred to the US Navy. [2]
SS Union Victory served as merchant marine naval ship supplying goods for the Korean War. About 75 percent of the personnel going to Korea for the Korean War came by the merchant marine. SS Union Victory transported goods, mail, food and other supplies. About 90 percent of the cargo was moved by merchant marine naval ships to the war zone. Union Victory made trip between 18 November 1950 and 23 December 1952 helping American forces engaged against Communist aggression in South Korea. [3] [4]
In late 1961 she was transferred to MSTS for conversion to a refrigeration ship. Renamed and designated Perseus (AF–64), 4 December 1961, she was converted by the Willamette Iron and Steel Co., Portland, Oregon, and in September 1962 was placed in service as USNS Perseus (T-AF-64) and was manned by a Civil Service crew. Since that time, into 1970, she has operated under ComMSTSPac and has carried fresh and frozen foods from the U.S. West Coast to Pacific and Far East ports.
Perseus was placed out of service (date unknown) and struck from the Naval Register, 15 June 1973. She was returned to MARAD for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet. It was sold on 31 August 1973, and scrapped at Kaohsiung in 1974.
Perseus’ crew was eligible for the following medals:
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.
SS Twin Falls Victory, named after Twin Falls, Idaho, was a Victory ship built for World War II. Converted to a Missile Range Instrumentation Ship, she was initially operated by the US Air Force as USAF Twin Falls Victory, before coming under US Navy control and being named USNS Twin Falls (T-AGM-11/T-AGS-37). She later had a third career as the training ship SS John W. Brown II.
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.
USS Regulus (AF-57) was a Denebola-class stores ship acquired by the United States Navy. Her task was to carry stores, refrigerated items, and equipment to ships in the fleet, and to remote stations and staging areas.
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 Lt. James E. Robinson (T-AKV-3/T-AG-170/T-AK-274) was a U.S. Navy cargo ship, which was launched as a World War II commercial Victory 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 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.
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 Marine Fiddler was an Alchiba-class cargo ship that served the United States Merchant Marine during the Korean War and Vietnam War. Laid down on 15 December 1944 as a Maritime Commission type C4-S-A3 hull, under Maritime Commission contract, she was built at Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Company in Chester, Pennsylvania. She was launched on 15 May 1945 and delivered 31 August 1945. Operated by Agwilines Inc, she was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet in Suisun Bay, California on 23 May 1946.
The SS Gainesville Victory was the 22nd Victory ship built during World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding program. She was launched by the California Shipbuilding Company on June 9, 1944, and completed on July 22, 1944. The ship’s United States Maritime Commission designation was VC2-S-AP3, hull number 22 (V-22). She was operated by the Seas Shipping Company. SS Gainesville Victory served in the Pacific Ocean during World War II. SS Gainesville Victory was number one of the new 10,500-ton class of ships, known as Victory ships. Victory ships were designed to replace the earlier Liberty Ships. Liberty ships were designed to be used just for WW2, while Victory ships were designed to last longer and serve the US Navy after the war. The Victory ships differed from the Liberty ships in that they were faster, longer, wider, taller, had a thinner stack set farther toward the superstructure, and had a long raised forecastle.
The SS Baton Rouge was a cargo Victory ship built during World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding program. The Baton Rouge (MCV-846) was a type VC2-S-AP2 Victory ship built by Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyards. The Maritime Administration cargo ship was the 846rd ship built. Her keel was laid on June 21, 1945. She was launched on August 22, 1945, and completed on September 24, 1945. The 10,600-ton ship was constructed for the Maritime Commission. The American Export Line and later the Isthmian Steamship Company operated her under the United States Merchant Marine act for the War Shipping Administration.
The SS Minot Victory was a Victory ship built during World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding program. She was laid down and launched by the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation, and completed on February 1, 1945. The ship's United States Maritime Commission designation was VC2-S-AP3 and hull number 149 (1203). The Maritime Commission turned it over for merchant navy operation to a civilian contractor, the Isthmian Steamship Company under the United States Merchant Marine act for the War Shipping Administration. She was named after Minot, Maine and Minot, North Dakota.
The SS Bucknell Victory was a Victory-class cargo ship built during World War II. The Bucknell 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 728th ship built. Her keel was laid on December 27, 1944. SS Bucknell Victory was an armed cargo ship, named for Bucknell University in Pennsylvania, one of 150 educational institutions that had Victory ships named after them. She was built in just 70 days, under the Emergency Shipbuilding program for World War II. The 10,600-ton ship was constructed for the Maritime Commission.
SS Cuba Victory was built and operated as Victory ship class cargo ship which operated as a cargo carrier in World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War.
The SS Berea Victory (MCV-734) was a type VC2-S-AP2 Victory-class cargo ship built for the United States during World War II. The ship was built as part of the Emergency Shipbuilding program by Permanente Metals Corporation in Yard 2 of the Richmond Shipyards in Richmond, California. Launched on 3 March 1945, the Berea Victory delivered supplies for the Pacific War.
The SS Pierre Victory was a Victory ship built during World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding program. It was laid down and launched by the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation, and completed on February 5, 1945. The ship's United States Maritime Commission designation was VC2-S-AP3 and hull number 150. The Maritime Commission turned it over for merchant navy operation to a civilian contractor, the United States Lines under the United States Merchant Marine act for the War Shipping Administration. She was named after Pierre, South Dakota, the capital of the US state of South Dakota. The sponsor and christening of the SS Pierre Victory on Dec. 6, 1944 was Mrs. Emma S. Jassmann of Pierre, she had five sons who served during World War II,. The city of Pierre and the Pierre Chamber of Commerce sent Mrs. Jassmann to Oregon. The Mayor of City of Pierre, John B. Griffin, was also at the christening with other Pierre residents. She was built in only 98 days. Victory ships were designed to supersede the earlier Liberty ships. Unlike Liberty ships, Victory ships were designed to serve the US Navy after the war and to last longer. Compared to Liberty ships, Victory ships were faster, longer, wider, taller, and had a thinner stack which was set further forward on the superstructure. They also had a long, raised forecastle. SS Pierre Victory survived three separate kamikaze attacks by the Japanese in 1945.
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.
USNS Furman (T-AK-280) was a Norwalk class Fleet Ballistic Missile Cargo Ship, which was launched as a World War II commercial Victory cargo ship, the SS Furman Victory under the Emergency Shipbuilding program. The Furman Victory was acquired by the U.S. Navy in 1963.
USNS Victoria (T-AK-281) was a Norwalk-class fleet ballistic missile cargo ship, which was launched as a World War II commercial Victory cargo ship SS Ethiopia Victory under the Emergency Shipbuilding program. The Ethiopia Victory was acquired by the U.S. Navy in 1963.
USNS Marshfield (T-AK-282) was a Fleet Ballistic Missile Cargo Ship, which was launched as a World War II commercial Victory cargo ship SS Marshfield Victory under the Emergency Shipbuilding program. The Marshfield Victory was acquired by the U.S. Navy in 1968.
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships .The entry can be found here.