USS Boulder Victory (AK-227) Class

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USS Boulder Victory (AK-227) on 9 June 1945
Click on this photograph for links to larger images of this class.

Class:        BOULDER VICTORY (AK-227)
Design:        MC VC2-S-AP2
Displacement (tons):        4,480 light, 15,580 lim.
Dimensions (feet):        455.0' oa, 436.5' wl x 62.0' e x 29.2 lim.
Original Armament:        1-5"/38 1-3"/50 8-20mm
Later armaments:        1-5"/38 1-3"/50 4-40mmS 6-20mmS (1945: AK-227)
Complement:        90
Speed (kts.):        15.5
Propulsion (HP):        6,000
Machinery:        Westinghouse turbine, 1 screw

Construction:

AK	Name	Acq.	Builder	Keel	Launch	Commiss.
227	BOULDER VICTORY	12 Oct 44	Permanente Metals #1	18 Jun 44	31 Aug 44	12 Oct 44
228	PROVO VICTORY	18 Oct 44	Permanente Metals #1	28 Jun 44	9 Sep 44	18 Oct 44
229	LAS VEGAS VICTORY	25 Oct 44	Permanente Metals #1	7 Jul 44	16 Sep 44	25 Oct 44
230	MANDERSON VICTORY	3 Nov 44	Permanente Metals #1	14 Jul 44	23 Sep 44	3 Nov 44
231	BEDFORD VICTORY	11 Nov 44	Permanente Metals #1	20 Jul 44	30 Sep 44	11 Nov 44
232	MAYFIELD VICTORY	16 Nov 44	Permanente Metals #1	10 Aug 44	10 Oct 44	16 Nov 44
233	NEWCASTLE VICTORY	23 Nov 44	Permanente Metals #1	21 Aug 44	17 Oct 44	23 Nov 44
234	BUCYRUS VICTORY	29 Nov 44	Permanente Metals #1	1 Sep 44	31 Oct 44	29 Nov 44
235	RED OAK VICTORY	5 Dec 44	Permanente Metals #1	9 Sep 44	9 Nov 44	5 Dec 44
236	LAKEWOOD VICTORY	11 Dec 44	Permanente Metals #1	16 Sep 44	17 Nov 44	11 Dec 44

Disposition:

AK	Name	Decomm.	Strike	Disposal	Fate	MA Sale
227	BOULDER VICTORY	4 Jan 46	21 Jan 46	4 Jan 46	MC	20 Oct 83
228	PROVO VICTORY	10 Apr 46	8 May 46	10 Apr 46	MC	13 Oct 83
229	LAS VEGAS VICTORY	8 Apr 46	17 Apr 46	8 Apr 46	MC	1 Dec 93
230	MANDERSON VICTORY	10 May 46	21 May 46	10 May 46	MC	18 Jun 93
231	BEDFORD VICTORY	29 Mar 46	28 Aug 46	29 Mar 46	MC	28 Mar 72
232	MAYFIELD VICTORY	5 Apr 46	17 Apr 46	5 Apr 46	MC	30 Apr 93
233	NEWCASTLE VICTORY	21 Jun 46	3 Jul 46	21 Jun 46	MC	--
234	BUCYRUS VICTORY	24 Apr 46	8 May 46	24 Apr 46	MC	26 Sep 69
235	RED OAK VICTORY	21 May 46	19 Jul 46	12 Jun 46	MC	--
236	LAKEWOOD VICTORY	16 May 46	5 Jun 46	16 May 46	MC	8 Sep 93

Class Notes:
FY 1944. On 23 Sep 44 the Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas (CinCPOA) asked that ten Victory type cargo ships be acquired and manned by the Navy for use in the transportation of replenishment ammunition to forward areas. He added that he needed the first of these ships at a West Coast port around 10 Oct 44 to meet a loading schedule already established. CNO relayed this request to the Maritime Commission on 27 Sep 44, stating that no conversion of accommodation spaces was contemplated as it had been recommended that the naval crew replacing the civilian crew and armed guard be limited by existing berthing and messing facilities. (This allowed for a crew of only 14 officers and 76 men.) He asked that MC hulls MCV 535 to 544, then under construction at Richmond, Calif., be assigned to the Navy upon their completion. The MC agreed except that it slipped the assignment by one hull, to MCV hulls 536 to 545, and on 5 Oct 44 the Auxiliary Vessels Board recommended that the Secretary of the Navy approve the acquisition.

The ships were accepted by the Navy from the MC "as is," as completed merchant vessels without conversion, modifications, or even name changes. As placed into service they had none of the refinements found on most Navy auxiliaries, lacking radar or protection for their holds and having "tiny" crews. The latter meant that the ships needed help (often from Construction Battalion personnel) to handle their cargoes. In March and April 1945 AK-233 had quarters for 80 men installed in No. 5 hold 'tween decks, following which she added 60 men to her crew so she could handle her own cargo. She also received radar, unspecified ordnance equipment, laundry and evaporator improvements, and bridge alterations. Some or all of her sisters were probably similarly upgraded during 1945.

The Maritime Commission expected ships of the Victory type to be in high demand in the postwar merchant marine and made the Navy promise that no structural changes would be made to these ten ships that would affect their original cargo carrying capacity. After the war the Navy expedited the return of these ships to the MC, and as expected they all quickly entered service with commercial operators.

Ship Notes:

AK	Name	MC	Notes
227	BOULDER VICTORY	536	Ex merc. BOULDER VICTORY. Merc. BOULDER VICTORY 1946, in commercial service with gaps until to NDRF 3 Sep 57. To buyer 1 Dec 83.
228	PROVO VICTORY	537	Ex merc. PROVO VICTORY. Merc. PROVO VICTORY 1946, in commercial service with gaps until to NDRF 19 Nov 53. To buyer 10 Feb 84.
229	LAS VEGAS VICTORY	538	Ex merc. LAS VEGAS VICTORY. Merc. LAS VEGAS VICTORY 1946, in commercial service with gaps until to NDRF 7 Mar 58. Operated under charter to MSTS 3 Jun 66-4 Feb 70 when to NDRF. To buyer 22 Dec 93.
230	MANDERSON VICTORY	539	Ex merc. MANDERSON VICTORY (completed 31 Oct 44). Merc. MANDERSON VICTORY 1946, in commercial service with gaps until to NDRF 17 Oct 53. Operated under charter to MSTS 29 Jul 66-18 Dec 69 when to NDRF. To buyer 4 Aug 93.
231	BEDFORD VICTORY	540	Ex merc. BEDFORD VICTORY. Merc. BEDFORD VICTORY 1946, in commercial service with gaps until to NDRF 5 May 53. To buyer 26 Apr 72.
232	MAYFIELD VICTORY	541	Ex merc. MAYFIELD VICTORY. Merc. MAYFIELD VICTORY 1946, in commercial service with gaps until to NDRF 14 Jan 54. Operated under charter to MSTS 7 Sep 66-29 Jul 69 when to NDRF. To buyer 2 Jul 93.
233	NEWCASTLE VICTORY	542	Ex merc. NEWCASTLE VICTORY. Merc. NEWCASTLE VICTORY 1946, in commercial service with gaps until to NDRF 21 Sep 53. Operated under charter to MSTS 8 Dec 65-22 Sep 69 when to NDRF. Transferred with KINGSPORT (AG-164) 23 Sep 91 to Kings Point as scrap donation under the Merchant Mariner Memorial Act of 1990, delivered 17 Jan 92.
234	BUCYRUS VICTORY	543	Ex merc. BUCYRUS VICTORY. Merc. BUCYRUS VICTORY 1946, in commercial service with gaps until to NDRF 8 Oct 53. Operated under charter to MSTS 14 Sep 66-29 Aug 69. Burned circa Aug 69 and sold, delivered to buyer 17 Oct 69.
235	RED OAK VICTORY	544	Ex merc. RED OAK VICTORY. Merc. RED OAK VICTORY 1946, in commercial service with gaps until to NDRF 3 Oct 57. Operated under charter to MSTS 21 Dec 65-18 Sep 69. Withdrawn from NDRF 17 Sep 98 and transferred same date to city of Richmond, Calif., as a museum ship.
236	LAKEWOOD VICTORY	545	Ex merc. LAKEWOOD VICTORY. Merc. LAKEWOOD VICTORY 1946, in commercial service with gaps until to NDRF 29 Sep 53. Operated under charter to MSTS 7 Dec 65-7 Jan 69 when to NDRF. To buyer 24 Sep 93.