USNS Greenville Victory (T-AK 237) on 5 December 1957 in Kainan Bay, Antarctica.
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Class: GREENVILLE VICTORY (T-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 | 12 Feb 1952/C |
| 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:
As of 31 August 1948 the Army had 21 Victory (VC2) cargo ships, including 12 of the more powerful VC2-S-AP3 type and 9 of the VC2-S-AP2 type. By this time the Victory cargo ship had replaced the Liberty ship in the Army fleet except for the large-hatch Z-EC2-S-C5 type (see the AKV 6 class). Four Army VC2-S-AP3 cargo ships, OGLETHORPE VICTORY, PLYMOUTH VICTORY, CARROLL VICTORY and LAWRENCE VICTORY, were laid up or sold commercial in 1948-1949 and DALTON VICTORY was laid up in 1950, leaving seven to pass to the Navy in 1950. Of these three had hatches that had been enlarged by the Army and the Navy classed them as aircraft transports (AKV 3-5).
Of the remaining four, 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 (a former Army ship) 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) after nearly a decade of service as regular MSTS cargo ships. ALCOR underwent two restricted availabilities at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard between August and November 1960 in which she was altered to transport, monitor, and handle Polaris missiles and their parts. BETELGEUSE was first modified to carry Polaris missiles and components in the summer of 1960 and was further modified between 1 June and 7 September 1962 with the installation of vertical stowage of the Polaris missiles in Number Three hold. With this conversion she could transport fourteen missiles in Number Three hold, five missiles (in containers) in Number Four hold, and four missiles (in containers) on the main deck, one on each side of both Number Four and Five hatches, for a total capacity of twenty-three missiles. AK 259-260 became the prototypes for AK 279-282 (q.v.), converted between 1962 and 1970.
BETELGEUSE (AK 260) was laid up 1971 at NSY Philadelphia using an experimental preservation method in which the ship was completely covered from bow to stem by a single air-supported, plastic structure within which dehumidified air was circulated. When this covering was torn open during a storm ca. 1973-74 after power was lost and the backup diesel failed to start, it was decided to sell the ship for scrapping. The ship broke free from her tow on 17 January 1976 while enroute to Luria Brothers at Brownsville, Tex., and washed onto the beach at Rodanthe, North Carolina. After nearly two months of round-the-clock work she was refloated and completed the trip to the breakers.
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 conflicting reports.
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. Replaced by NORTHERN LIGHT (T-AK 284). 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. 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. To buyer ca. Jan 1976. |
Page Notes:
Compiled: 7 Aug 2021
© Stephen S. Roberts, 2021
Sources: NARA: RG19 Item S-13 Entry 1022-R(UD) (AK 260)