USNS Sgt. Andrew Miller

Last updated

USNS Sgt. Andrew Miller (T-AK-242) riding high in ballast, circa the 1960s (NH 103616).jpg
USNS Sgt. Andrew Miller (T-AK-242) riding high in ballast, circa the 1960s
History
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
Name
  • Radcliffe Victory
  • Sgt. Andrew Miller
Namesake
Owner War Shipping Administration
Operator American West African Lines
Orderedas type (VC2-S-AP2) hull, MCV hull 743
Builder Permanente Metals Corporation, Richmond, California
Laid down22 February 1945, as SS Radcliffe Victory
Launched4 April 1945
Sponsored byMrs. Charles H. Owens
Completed28 April 1945
Acquiredby the US Army, 26 July 1946
In service1 March 1950, as USNS Sgt. Andrew Miller (T-AK-242)
Out of servicedate unknown
Renamed31 October 1947, USAT Sgt. Andrew Miller
Stricken16 January 1981
Homeport San Francisco, California
Identification Hull symbol:T-AK-242
Honours and
awards		 American Campaign Medal
FateScrapped November 1983
General characteristics [1]
Class and type Boulder Victory-class cargo ship
Displacement
  • 4,480 long tons (4,550 t) (standard)
  • 15,580 long tons (15,830 t) (full load)
Length455 ft (139 m)
Beam62 ft (19 m)
Draft29 ft 2 in (8.89 m)
Installed power8,500  shp (6,300 kW)
Propulsion
  • 1 × Steam turbine
  • 1 × shaft
Speed15.5  kn (17.8 mph; 28.7 km/h)
Complement99 officers and enlisted
Armamentnone

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.

Contents

Victory ship built in California

SS Radcliffe Victory was laid down on 22 February 1945, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MCV hull No. 743, by the Permanente Metals Corporation, Yard No. 2, Richmond, California; launched on 4 April 1945; sponsored by Mrs. Charles H. Owens; and delivered to MARCOM's War Shipping Administration (WSA) on 28 April 1945, for operation by the American-West African Line.

US Army service

After the end of World War II, Radcliffe Victory was returned to WSA and was further transferred to the U.S. War Department for operation by the Army Transportation Corps on 26 July 1946. Renamed Sgt. Andrew Miller on 31 October 1947, the cargo ship remained with the Army Transportation Corps until 1 March 1950.

Service with the MSTS

She was transferred to the Navy for operation by the newly established Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), becoming USNS Sgt. Andrew Miller (T-AK-242).

Homeported at San Francisco, California, Sgt. Andrew Miller made a round-trip run to Hawaii and back in April; and, in May, she sailed for Yokosuka, Japan. From there, she continued on to Naha, Okinawa, whence she returned to the U.S. West Coast.

Korean War service

Arriving after the outbreak of war in Korea, she loaded cargo for units being shipped to Japan and Korea; and, on 18 July, she sailed west. On 3 August, she stopped at Sasebo, Japan; and, on the 4th, she arrived off Pusan to commence offloading. Two weeks later, she started back across the Pacific Ocean to Hawaii, where she took on more cargo; and, on 15 September, she again sailed west.

During November, she delivered cargo at Inchon and Chinnampo; then put into Yokohama. In early December, she got underway for Wonsan but was diverted back to Yokohama, where she joined Task Group 90.2, the Hungnam evacuation force. On 13 December, she sailed for that North Korean port; where, from the 18th to the 20th, she took on men and equipment as units fought back to the harbor after the entry of Communist Chinese forces into the conflict.

The ship offloaded at Pusan; then returned to Sasebo, whence she made another run to Korea before sailing for Pearl Harbor and San Francisco. Arriving at the latter port in early February 1951, she made runs to bases in the Central Pacific Ocean and in the Aleutians into the summer; and, in August, she resumed runs to Japan and Korea.

During April and May 1952, she again carried cargo to islands in the Central Pacific; then, in June, returned to logistics support of United Nations forces in Korea. In September, her operations in the Far East were extended to include Okinawa; and, early in 1953, her calls at Central Pacific ports were made en route to the Far East. During the spring of that year, she resumed non-stop runs to Japan and Korea.

Vietnam operations

After the truce agreement in July 1953, Sgt. Andrew Miller continued runs to Japan and Korea and to the islands of the central and northern Pacific. In the summer of 1954, she was called on to assist in Operation Passage to Freedom which moved Vietnamese from Haiphong to Saigon following the division of the former French colony.

Following one run, she resumed her transpacific operations and expanded her range to include ports in Taiwan; in Thailand, and in the Philippine Islands. During the late 1950s and into the 1960s, she occasionally interrupted her Pacific operations for brief periods of service on transatlantic runs; but, into the fall of 1974, she remains in the Pacific in the Military Sealift Command (MSC) fleet. During the Fall of Saigon she participated in the MSC evacuation operation conducted concurrently with Operation Frequent Wind taking onboard 6148 refugees. [2] [3]

Decommissioning

The ship was decommissioned at an unknown date and struck from the Navy List on 16 January 1981. She was returned to the U.S. Maritime Administration on 18 February 1983. She was scrapped in November 1983.

Honors and awards

Eligible on-board personnel were authorized the following:

See also

Related Research Articles

USS <i>Crater</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Crater (AK-70) was the lead ship of her class of converted liberty ship cargo ships in the service of the US Navy in World War II. She was first named after John James Audubon, an American ornithologist, naturalist, and painter. She was renamed and commissioned after the constellation Crater, she was the only ship of the Navy to bear this name.

USS <i>Cor Caroli</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Cor Caroli (AK-91) was a Crater-class cargo ship commissioned by the US Navy for service in World War II and manned by a US Coast Guard crew. She was named after Cor Caroli, the brightest star in constellation Canes Venatici. She was responsible for delivering goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.

USS <i>Eridanus</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Eridanus (AK-92) was a Crater-class cargo ship commissioned by the US Navy for service in World War II and manned by a US Coast Guard crew. She was named after the constellation Eridanus. She was responsible for delivering goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.

USS <i>Rutilicus</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Rutilicus (AK-113) was a Crater-class cargo ship commissioned by the US Navy for service in World War II. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater.

USNS <i>Sgt. Sylvester Antolak</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USNS Sgt. Sylvester Antolak (AP-192/T-AP-192) was a Boulder Victory-class cargo ship that served as a United States Army Transport, and in the United States Navy's Military Sea Transportation Service, in the post-World War II period.

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 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 Sgt. Joseph E. Muller was a C1-M-AV1 cargo ship completed 9 June 1945 and delivered to the War Shipping Administration (WSA) as Check Knot. After operation by WSA's agent Waterman Steamship Company June 1945 – November 1946 and being placed in reserve the ship was transferred to the U.S. Army and renamed USAT Sgt. Joseph E. Muller. She was transferred to the United States Navy in 1950 after the establishment of the Military Sea Transportation Service under Navy and assigned to Korean War supply and transport operations. She was again place back in service in 1962 as one of the civilian crewed, Auxiliary General (AG), technical research ships working on National Security Agency/Naval Security Group missions, based out of Florida. She was finally declared surplus to needs in 1969 and struck.

USS Muskingum (AK-198/T-AK-198) was an Alamosa-class cargo ship that was constructed for the US Navy under a US Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract during the closing period of World War II. She supported the end-of-war Navy effort. On 7 March 1946 Muskingum was placed in service under bareboat charter with the US Army under the Shipping Control Authority for the Japanese Merchant Marine with a Japanese crew. In 1950, she was reactivated and placed into service with the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Muskingum (T-AK-198) until being struck from the Navy list in 1973. She was ultimately transferred to the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI) and the Republic of Palau.

USNS <i>Sgt. Jack J. Pendleton</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USNS Sgt. Jack J. Pendleton was a Lt. James E. Robinson-class cargo ship constructed during World War II as a Victory ship and named the SS Mandan Victory. The Mandan Victory was placed into service by the War Shipping Administration's Emergency Shipbuilding program under cognizance of the U.S. Maritime Commission.

USS <i>Sussex</i> (AK-213) Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Sussex (AK-213) was an Alamosa-class cargo ship that was constructed for the US Navy during the closing period of World War II. She was retained by the Navy for post-war service, including that in the Korean War theatre where she earned three battle stars and then returned home for deactivation.

USS <i>Livingston</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Livingston (AP-163/AK-222) was a Crater-class cargo ship built for the US Navy during World War II. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater.

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

SS Greenville Victory was a cargo Victory ship built in 1944, during World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding program. The ship’s United States Maritime Commission designation was VC2-S-AP3, hull number 18 (V-18). Post-war she was acquired by the U.S. Army and renamed as USAT Greenville Victory. She was acquired by the U.S. Navy in 1950, renamed USNS Greenville Victory (T-AK-237) and assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) who operated her safely through the Korean War and Vietnam War campaigns. She was the lead ship in her class of 9 ships that were transferred to the MSTS in 1950. She returned home with two battle stars to her credit and was struck in 1987.

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 Sgt. Morris E. Crain (T-AK-244) was a Boulder Victory-class cargo ship built at the end of World War II and served in the war prior to its demilitarization as a commercial cargo vessel. From post-war to 1950 she served the U.S. Army as a transport named USAT Morris E. Crain. In 1950 she was acquired by the U.S. Navy and assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service. In 1975 she ended her career and was placed into reserve.

USNS <i>Colonel William J. OBrien</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USNS Colonel William J. O’Brien (T-AK-246) was a US Maritime Administration (MARCOM) C1-M-AV1 type coastal cargo ship, originally planned as an Alamosa-class cargo ship. Constructed as Maiden's Eye for the MARCOM, completed in August 1945 and placed in operation by the War Shipping Administration (WSA). After the war Maiden's Eye was transferred to the US Army and renamed USAT Colonel William J. O’Brien who kept her in service until transferred to the US Navy in 1950 for operation as USNS Colonel William J. O’Brien (T-AK-246) by the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) until 1973.

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>Private Frank J. Petrarca</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USNS Private Frank J. Petrarca (T-AK-250) was a US Maritime Administration (MARCOM) C1-M-AV1 type coastal cargo ship, originally planned as an Alamosa-class cargo ship. Constructed as Long Splice for MARCOM, completed in September 1945 and placed in operation by the War Shipping Administration (WSA) during the closing period of World War II. However, the war ended, and she was transferred to the US Army as USAT Private Frank J. Petrarca who kept her in service until transferred to the US Navy in 1950.

USNS <i>Lt. George W. G. Boyce</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USNS Lt. George W. G. Boyce (T-AK-251) was a Boulder Victory-class cargo ship built for the U.S. Maritime Commission during the final months of World War II.

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.

References

  1. ↑ "USNS Sgt. Andrew Miller (T-AK-242)". Navsource.org. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  2. ↑ "Chapter 5: The Final Curtain, 1973–1975". history.navy.mil. 2000. Retrieved 24 July 2007.
  3. ↑ Muir, Malcolm (2017). End of the Saga: The Maritime Evacuation of South Vietnam and Cambodia (PDF). Naval History and Heritage Command. p. 38. ISBN   9780945274926.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.