SS New Bern Victory
Victory ship of the United States / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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SS New Bern Victory was a cargo Victory ship built during World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding program. The New Bern Victory (MCV-639) was a type VC2-S-AP2 Victory ship built by Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyards. The Maritime Administration cargo ship was the 639 ship built. Her keel was laid on January 15, 1945. She was launched on March 8, 1945 and completed on March 31, 1945. The 10,600-ton ship was constructed for the Maritime Commission. The American Export Line and later the Isthmian Steamship Company operated her under the United States Merchant Marine act for the War Shipping Administration. Named for the city of New Bern, North Carolina.[2]
Typical Victory Ship. | |
History | |
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United States | |
Name | SS New Bern Victory |
Namesake | City of New Bern, North Carolina |
Owner | War Shipping Administration |
Operator | Prudential Steamship Corporation |
Builder | Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Baltimore |
Laid down | January 15, 1945 |
Launched | March 8, 1945 |
Completed | March 31, 1945 |
Fate | Sank on July 4, 1972 in heavy weather off Karachi. |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | VC2-S-AP3 Victory ship |
Tonnage | 7612 GRT, 4,553 NRT |
Displacement | 15,200 tons |
Length | 455 ft (139 m) |
Beam | 62 ft (19 m) |
Draft | 28 ft (8.5 m) |
Installed power | 8,500 shp (6,300 kW) |
Propulsion | HP & LP turbines geared to a single 20.5-foot (6.2 m) propeller |
Speed | 16.5 knots |
Boats & landing craft carried | 4 Lifeboats |
Complement | 62 Merchant Marine and 28 US Naval Armed Guards |
Armament | |
Notes | [1] |
Victory ships were designed to supersede the earlier Liberty Ships. Unlike Liberty ships, Victory ships were designed to serve the US Navy after the war[3] and also last longer. The Victory ship differed from a Liberty ship in that they were: faster, longer and wider, taller, and had a thinner stack set farther toward the superstructure. They also had a long raised forecastle.