USNS Perseus
{{short description|Cargo ship of the United States Navy}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image |Ship image=USNS Perseus (T-AF-64) underway San Francisco Bay, California (USA), in March 1963 (USN 1069191).jpg |Ship caption=USNS Perseus in March 1963 }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship country=United States |Ship flag={{USN flag|1943}} |Ship name= SS Union Victory |Ship namesake=Union College |Ship owner= War Shipping Administration |Ship operator= Alaska Transportation Company |Ship registry= |Ship route= |Ship ordered=*as SS Union Victory
|Ship awarded= |Ship builder= Oregon Shipbuilding Corp., Portland, OR. |Ship original cost= |Ship yard number= |Ship way number= |Ship laid down=30 March 1945 |Ship launched= 11 May 1945 |Ship sponsor= |Ship christened= |Ship completed=8 June 1945 |Ship acquired= |Ship commissioned= |Ship recommissioned= |Ship decommissioned= |Ship maiden voyage= |Ship in service= |Ship out of service= 14 October 1952 |Ship renamed= |Ship reclassified= |Ship refit= |Ship struck= |Ship reinstated= |Ship homeport= |Ship identification= |Ship motto= |Ship nickname= |Ship honours= |Ship honors= |Ship captured= |Ship fate= Transferred to US Navy 7 November 1961 |Ship notes= |Ship badge= }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship country=United States |Ship flag={{USN flag|1943}} |Ship name= USNS Perseus (T-AF-64) |Ship namesake= |Ship owner= US Navy |Ship operator= US Navy |Ship registry= |Ship route= |Ship ordered= VC-2-S-AP3 hull, MCV hull 683 |Ship awarded= |Ship builder= |Ship original cost= |Ship yard number= |Ship way number= |Ship laid down= |Ship launched= |Ship sponsor= |Ship christened= |Ship completed= |Ship acquired= |Ship commissioned= |Ship recommissioned= |Ship decommissioned= |Ship maiden voyage= |Ship in service= September 1962 |Ship out of service= |Ship renamed= |Ship reclassified= Cargo, stores, refrigerated items |Ship refit= Provisions Store Ship at Willamette Iron and Steel Co., Portland, OR. |Ship struck=15 June 1973 |Ship reinstated= |Ship homeport= |Ship identification= |Ship motto= |Ship nickname= |Ship honours= |Ship honors= |Ship captured= |Ship fate=Scrapped at Kaohsiung in 1974 |Ship notes= |Ship badge= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class= |Ship type= |Ship tonnage= |Ship displacement=4,960 tons(lt), 11,900 tons (fl) |Ship length={{convert|455|ft|3|in|m|abbr=on}} |Ship beam={{convert|62|ft|m|abbr=on}} |Ship height= |Ship draught={{convert|28|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}} |Ship draft= |Ship depth= |Ship hold depth= |Ship decks= |Ship deck clearance= |Ship ramps= |Ship ice class= |Ship power= |Ship propulsion=geared steam turbine, single propeller, 8,500shp |Ship sail plan= |Ship speed=16.5 kts. |Ship range= |Ship endurance= |Ship test depth= |Ship boats= |Ship capacity= |Ship troops= |Ship complement=56 |Ship crew= |Ship time to activate= |Ship sensors= |Ship EW= |Ship armour= |Ship armor= |Ship aircraft= |Ship aircraft facilities= |Ship armament= *1 × 5 inch (127 mm)/38 caliber gun as Victory Ship
|Ship notes={{Cite journal |author=Babcock & Wilcox |date=April 1944 |title=Victory Ships |journal=Marine Engineering and Shipping Review}} }} |
USNS Perseus (T-AF-64) was a Denebola-class stores ship acquired by the U.S. Navy. Her task was to carry stores, refrigerated items, and equipment to ships in the fleet, and to remote stations and staging areas.
Perseus was laid down as SS Union Victory a Victory ship, (MCV hull 683) by the Oregon Shipbuilding Corp., Portland, Oregon, 30 March 1945; launched 11 May 1945; sponsored by Mrs. Claude F. Palmer; and delivered to the Maritime Commission, 8 June 1945.
For cargo transport during World War II.
SS ''Union Victory'' operations under contract
Operated on contract from the Maritime Commission, SS Union Victory carried military cargoes during the last months of World War II in the Pacific Ocean; the initial year of the European Occupation; and, four years later, the Korean War. After Korea she returned to commercial transport, then entered the Maritime Administration’s National Defense Reserve Fleet. Union Victory was delivered to the Maritime Commission, 8 June 1945 transferred under a General Agency Agreement to Alaska Transportation Company On 28 June 1946 transferred for operation to Black Diamond Steamship Company. Operation transferred to the South Atlantic SS Company on 21 October 1948. She was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet in Beaumont Texas on 12 November 1948. On 27 July 1950 she was put back into service and transferred to the Mississippi Shipping Company. Transferred operation to American Mail Line on 19 April 1952.
She was laid up again into the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Olympia, WA. on 26 May 1952.
She was put back in service and transferred back to the American Mail Line Ltd. on 25 September 1952. On 14 October 1952 she again was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Olympia, WA. On SS 7 November 1961 the SS Union Victory ownership was transferred to the US Navy.
[http://www.navsource.net/archives/09/06/0664.htm NavSource USNS Perseus (T-AF-64)]
SS Union Victory served as merchant marine naval ship supplying goods for the Korean War. About 75 percent of the personnel going to Korea for the Korean War came by the merchant marine. SS Union Victory transported goods, mail, food and other supplies. About 90 percent of the cargo was moved by merchant marine naval ships to the war zone. Union Victory made trip between 18 November 1950 and 23 December 1952 helping American forces engaged against Communist aggression in South Korea.[http://koreanwar-educator.org/topics/merchant_marine/index.htm Korean War Educator, Merchant Marine, Accounts of the Korean War]Small United States and United Nations Warships in the Korean War, By Paul M. Edwards
Operations under the MSTS
In late 1961 she was transferred to MSTS for conversion to a refrigeration ship. Renamed and designated Perseus (AF–64), 4 December 1961, she was converted by the Willamette Iron and Steel Co., Portland, Oregon, and in September 1962 was placed in service as USNS Perseus (T-AF-64) and was crewed by the Civil Service. Since that time, into 1970, she has operated under ComMSTSPac and has carried fresh and frozen foods from the U.S. West Coast to Pacific and Far East ports.
End-of-service
Perseus was placed out of service (date unknown) and struck from the Naval Register, 15 June 1973. She was returned to MARAD for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet. It was sold on 31 August 1973, and scrapped at Kaohsiung in 1974.
Military awards and honors
Perseus’ crew was eligible for the following medals:
See also
- List of United States Navy ships
- Cargo ship
- Liberty ship = Previous cargo ship.
- List of Victory ships
- Type C1 ship
- Type C2 ship
- Type C3 ship
References
{{DANFS|https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/p/perseus-i.html}}
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{navsource|09/06/0664}}
{{Denebola class stores ship}}
{{Victory ships}}
{{MARCOMships}}
{{WWII US ships}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Perseus (AF-64)}}
Category:Ships built in Portland, Oregon