AKV 3-7 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. AKVb 3-5 were reclassified AK 274-276 effective 7 May 1959 by the same OPNAV Notice that reclassified 36 former escort carriers as AKV 8 to AKV 43. With the former carriers clearly more suitable as aircraft transports the three Victory ships were evidently no longer needed in this role. On 30 October 1962 CNO approved the change in classification of T-AK 274 to T-AG 170 effective 1 December 1962, her name being unchanged. On 15 April 1964 CNO changed the class and hull number of USNS MIZAR from T-AK 272 to T-AGOR effective 15 April 1964 and the class and hull number of USNS LT JAMES E ROBINSON from T-AG 170 to T-AK 274 effective 1 July 1964.
AKV | Name | MA | Notes |
3 | LT JAMES E ROBINSON | 86 | Ex merc. CZECHOSLOVAKIA VICTORY, completed 11 Mar 1944. Loan to Army 3 May 1948. To AK 274 7 May 1959. To have gone to MA 1962 but kept for experiments. To AG 170 1 Dec 1962, AK 274 1 Jul 1964. To MA custody 17 Mar 1976. [NVR sale date 17 Feb 1983] |
4 | PVT JOSEPH F MERRELL | 33 | Ex merc. GRANGE VICTORY, completed 25 Aug 1944. Title to Army 6 Apr 1948. To AK 275 7 May 1959. Sustained heavy hull damage in a collision at sea with M/V PEARL VENTURE on 29 Dec 1973, taken to Port Hueneme, Calif., and ready for sale there "as is - where is" as of 28 Jan 1974. MA efforts to sell failed 20 Jun 1974, final disposition unknown. PEARL VENTURE, a motor bulk carrier of 9,214 tons was built in 1968 and scrapped in Korea as MYUNG JIN in March 1986. |
5 | SGT JACK J PENDLETON | 109 | Ex merc. MANDAN VICTORY, completed 19 Jun 1944. Title to Army 23 Apr 1948. To AK 276 7 May 1959. Grounded 25 Sep 1973 on a reef off Triton Ialand in the South China Sea about 170 miles east of Danang, South Vietnam while carrying a cargo of ammunition back to the US for reconditioning. Salvage forces were on site when Typhoons Opal and Nora forced them to withdraw. Upon return the ship was found to be unsalvageable, and Typhoon Ruth then disrupted equipment and cargo recovery efforts. The wreck was abandoned Nov 1974. |