USNS Greenville Victory (T-AK 237) on 5 December 1957 in Kainan Bay, Antarctica.
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Class: GREENVILLE VICTORY (AK 237, VC2-S-AP3)
Design: MC VC2-S-AP3
Displacement (tons): 4,512 light, 15,200 full (257-260 (USN): 4,660 light, 11,540 full)
Dimensions (feet): 455' oa, 444' wl x 62' e/wl x 29' max nav (257-260: 455' oa x 437' pp x 62' e/wl x 27' max nav)
Armament: (T-AK 237, 240) none; (AK 259-260: 1955) 4-40mmT
Accommodations: 237-240 and 256: 14 officers, 35 unlicensed; 257-260: 9-11 officers, 136-155 enlisted
Speed (kts.): 17
Propulsion (HP): 8,500
Machinery: Geared steam turbines, 2 boilers (465psi/750deg), 1 screw
Construction:
| AK | Name | Acq | Builder | Keel | Launch | Comm/Svc |
| 237 | GREENVILLE VICTORY | 1 Mar 1950 | California SB | 21 Mar 1944 | 24 May 1944 | 1 Mar 1950/S |
| 238 | HAITI VICTORY, see AGM 3 | 1 Mar 1950 | Permanente Metals #2 | 24 Apr 1944 | 20 Jul 1944 | 1 Mar 1950/S |
| 239 | KINGSPORT VICTORY, see AG 164 | 1 Mar 1950 | California SB | 4 Apr 1944 | 29 May 1944 | 1 Mar 1950/S |
| 240 | PVT JOHN R TOWLE | 1 Mar 1950 | Oregon SB | 9 Dec 1944 | 19 Jan 1945 | 1 Mar 1950/S |
| 256 | DALTON VICTORY, see AGM 5 | 31 Jul 1950 | California SB | 8 Apr 1944 | 6 Jun 1944 | 9 Aug 1950/S |
| 257 | ALTAIR, see AKS 32 | 7 Jul 1951 | Oregon SB | 20 Apr 1944 | 30 May 1944 | 31 Jan 1952/C |
| 258 | ANTARES, see AKS 33 | 23 Jul 1951 | Oregon SB | 6 Apr 1944 | 19 May 1944 | -- |
| 259 | ALCOR | 16 Jul 1951 | Oregon SB | 28 Feb 1944 | 29 Apr 1944 | 1 Mar 1952/C |
| 260 | BETELGEUSE | 31 Jul 1951 | California SB | 11 Feb 1944 | 10 Apr 1944 | 15 Apr 1952/C |
Disposition:
| AK | Name | T | Decom/Cust | Strike | Disposal | Fate | MA Sale/Depart |
| 237 | GREENVILLE VICTORY | T | 22 Mar 1976/C | 16 Jan 1981 | 17 Feb 1983 | MA/S | -- |
| 240 | PVT JOHN R TOWLE | T | 25 Aug 1980 | 31 Jul 1982 | 26 May 1982 | MA/S | -- |
| 259 | ALCOR | 30 Dec 1968/D | 31 Dec 1968 | 7 Jan 1970 | MA/S | -- | |
| 260 | BETELGEUSE | 15 Jan 1971/D | 1 Feb 1974 | 2 Dec 1975 | MA/S | -- |
Class Notes:
AK 237-240 were among the Army ships operating out of continental US ports that were to be acquired on 1 Mar 1950 for which names, classification, and hull numbers were approved on 21 Feb 1950. AK 256 was among 18 Maritime Admiminstration ships to be transferred to the Navy for which names, classification, and hull numbers were approved on 31 Jul 1950. On 7 February 1951 SECNAV informed the Secretary of Commerce that the Navy had a requirement for six additional AKAs and six additional AKs and asked for the transfer for reactivation of AKA 3, 4, 96, 97, 99, and 103 and the transfer of six VC2-S-AP3 Victory ships, ABERDEEN VICTORY, ELMIRA VICTORY, NAMPA VICTORY, ROCKLAND VICTORY, COLUMBIA VICTORY, and PIERRE VICTORY. The Commerce Department agreed on 14 March 1951 but noted that ELMIRA VICTORY was then under charter. Subsequently the Navy deleted her and PIERRE VICTORY from its request. On 26 July 1951 Navy names and the designation AK 257-260 were approved for four MA cargo ships recently acquired by the Navy. Approved characteristics for MA hulls (VC-S-AP3), AK alterations, SCB Project No. 86, were promulgated on 10 September 1953 with a final change on 25 September 1957. (This project is unidentified.)
AK 259-260 were converted to FBM Cargo Ships (T-AK-FBM), the former in 1960 and the latter soon afterwards, after nearly a decade of service as regular MSTS cargo ships. They became the prototypes for AK 279-282 (q.v.), converted between 1962 and 1970.
The basic Victory ship measured 455.25' overall, 444' at the waterline, and 436.5' between perpendiculars. The length between perpendiculars was sometimes reported as the waterline length, leading to the two figures for waterline length above.
Ship Notes:
| AK | Name | MCV | Notes |
| 237 | GREENVILLE VICTORY | 18 | Completed 8 Jul 1944. To Army 30 Mar 1948. To buyer 26 May 1983. |
| 240 | PVT JOHN R TOWLE | 162 | Ex merc. APPLETON VICTORY, completed 23 Mar 1945. To Army 20 Jun 1946. Hull ice-strengthened and conducted annual Antarctic resupply missions 1956-61 and 1963-70. Still active there in 1980 and also operated off Greenland. To MA custody 25 Aug 1980. To buyer 4 Jun 1982. |
| 259 | ALCOR | 101 | Ex merc. ROCKLAND VICTORY, completed 19 May 1944. To Navy custody 16 Jul 1951. Title to Navy 31 May 1956. Converted to AK-FBM 1960. To buyer 2 Feb 1970. |
| 260 | BETELGEUSE | 10 | Ex merc. COLOMBIA VICTORY, completed 31 May 1944. To USN custody 31 Jul 1951. Title to Navy 31 May 1956. Converted to AK-FBM ca. 1961. |
Page Notes:
Compiled: 7 Aug 2021
© Stephen S. Roberts, 2021
Sources: NARA: RG19 Item S-13 Entry 1022-R(UD) (AK 260)