- USNS Greenville Victory (T-AK-237)
USNS "Greenville Victory" (T-AK-237) was a "Greenville Victory"-class
cargo ship that served as a commercial cargo ship duringWorld War II . Post-war she was acquired by theU.S. Army as USAT "Greenville Victory". She was acquired by theU.S. Navy in 1950 and assigned to theMilitary Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) who operated her safety through theKorean War andVietnam War campaigns. She returned home with twobattle stars to her credit and was struck in 1987.Victory built in California
"Greenville Victory" (T-AK-237) was laid down under
U.S. Maritime Commission contract byCalifornia Shipbuilding Corporation ,Los Angeles, California ;21 March 1944 ; launched28 May 1944 ; sponsored by Miss Mary J. Vukov; and delivered to theWar Shipping Administration (WSA)8 July 1944 .World War II operations
During the remainder of the war, "SS Greenville Victory" served as a merchant ship under charter to Sea Shipping Company of
New York City .U.S. Army service
Following World War II, she transported cargo in the
Atlantic Ocean and thePacific Ocean . She was transferred to theArmy Transportation Service in the spring of 1948. Acquired by the Navy1 March 1950 , she was assigned to MSTS.Korean War era service
Manned by a civilian crew, "Greenville Victory", from 1950 to 1953, operated in the Atlantic Ocean and the
Caribbean , carrying military cargo to French, English, and German ports;Guantanamo Bay ; and thePanama Canal Zone .Between
19 February and9 May she sailed out of New York City to theFar East and back, loaded with ammunition forKorea . After completing a run toEurope and back, she again departed New York9 July for the Far East. She reachedYokohama ,Japan ,9 August and during the next 2 months operated in the Western Pacific Ocean, carrying ammunition toFormosa and to French forces fighting CommunistViet-Minh guerillas in FrenchIndochina . Sailing from Yokohama4 October viaSan Francisco, California , she reached New York City6 November 1953 to resume cargo runs to Europe.ervices at the world’s poles
During the next 2 years, "Greenville Victory" steamed primarily between New York City and West European ports. In June and July
1964 she sailed to the WesternMediterranean to replenish at sea ships of the mightyU.S. 6th Fleet . On16 November she departedNewport, Rhode Island , forAntarctica and arrived atMcMurdo Sound 16 January 1956 to provision ships ofTask Force 43. Departing Antarctica5 February , viaNew Zealand , she arrived New York28 March . Between 1956 and 1964 "Greenville Victory" maintained a busy schedule transporting cargo to American bases scattered throughout the world. She replenished Task Force 43 on three more Antarctic deployments; and, from December to February of 1956-57, 1957-38, and 1960-61, she operated in Antarctic waters. Cargo runs sent her to theCaribbean in 1958, 1960, and 1962 and toThule, Greenland , during September and October1958 .She also deployed with the 6th Fleet five times between June
1956 and March1964 ; and on two deployments in 1963 and 1964 she transited theSuez Canal , steaming toIndia andPakistan ."Greenville Victory" departed
Norfolk, Virginia ,6 October 1964 to participate in the massive transatlantic trooplift exercise, "Steel Pike I." DepartingMorehead City, North Carolina ,8 October , she closed the Spanish coast offRota 19 October . For more than 2 weeks she discharged supplies and cargo in support of amphibious and shore operations. Departing Rota7 November , she steamed via Morehead City to New York, arriving20 November .Vietnam War era services
In response to American determination to protect the integrity and independence of
South Vietnam from external Communist aggression, "Greenville Victory" departed New York22 November for duty in the Western Pacific. Sailing viaSan Diego, California , she arrivedGuam 24 December . During the next month she steamed toOkinawa ,Korea , and Japan, carrying cargo. ArrivingManila ,Philippine Islands ,26 January 1965 , she sailed the 28th forPearl Harbor andSan Francisco, California . After reaching theU.S. West Coast 25 February , she made a run out of San Francisco, California, toSeattle, Washington , then sailed for theU.S. Gulf Coast 15 March , arrivingNew Orleans, Louisiana , the 28th. During the next 5 months, "Greenville Victory" made cargo runs in the Atlantic out ofNorfolk, Virginia , and New York. She departed New York20 October after a voyage toLabrador and back; and, steaming via Norfolk, Virginia, andLong Beach, California , she reachedYokohama ,Japan ,22 November . Loaded with military cargo, she sailed for South Vietnam the 30th and arrivedSaigon 16 December . The following day she sailed viaVung Tau for the U.S. West Coast, arriving San Francisco3 January 1966 . "Greenville Victory" replenished her holds with vital military supplies for the forces of freedom in SoutheastAsia before returning to the Western Pacific. Sailing viaSasebo, Japan , she reachedBangkok ,Thailand ,13 February , sailed the 22d for South Vietnam and arrived Vung Tau the next day.Having unloaded, she sailed
1 March for the U.S. West Coast to transport additional military material from the United States toVietnam . She continued operations between the United States and the Western Pacific until transferred to the Atlantic at mid-year. In 1967 she was busy supplying Allied forces inEurope .Post-war decommissioning and career
"Greenville Victory" was decommissioned at (date unknown) and struck from the
Navy list on16 January 1987 . She was transferred to theU.S. Maritime Administration who placed her in theNational Defense Reserve Fleet , James River Group, atLee Hall, Virginia . On26 May 1983 she was sold for scrapping.Honors and awards
"Greenville Victory" participated in the following campaigns::* Vietnam Defense -
16 December 1965 :* Vietnamese Counteroffensive -23 February 1965 Eligible "Greenville Victory" personnel were authorized the following::
National Defense Service Medal (2):Korean Service Medal :Antarctic Service Medal :Vietnam Service Medal (2):United Nations Service Medal :Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal :Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)ee also
*
United States navy
*World War II
*Korean War
*Vietnam War References
*
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/13/130237.htm NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive - T-AK-237 Greenville Victory]
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