USS Bucyrus Victory ( AK - 234 ) USS " Bucyrus Victory " ( AK - 234 ) was a " Boulder Victory " - class cargo ship acquired by the U . S . Navy during World War II . She served in the Pacific Ocean theatre of operations through the end of the war , earning one battle star , and then returned to the United States for disposal . Victory built in California . " Bucyrus Victory " ( AK - 234 ) was laid down on 1 September 1944 at Richmond , California , by the Permanente Metals Corporation under a U . S . Maritime Commission contract ( MCV hull 543 ) ; launched on 31 October 1944 ; sponsored by Miss Eleanor Fogley ; acquired by the Navy on a loan basis on 29 November 1944 ; and commissioned that same day , Lt . Comdr . Felix A . Geissert in command . World War II operations . The urgent need for ammunition carriers to resupply the fleet prosecuting the final stages of the war against Japan in the Pacific Ocean prompted the Navy ' s acquisition of " Bucyrus Victory " and several of her sisters . That exigency also precluded conversion work and limited her fitting out and shakedown periods to the absolute minimum . She completed shakedown training during the third week in December , loaded cargo at Port Hueneme , California , and headed for Hawaii . The cargo ship arrived in Pearl Harbor on 3 January 1945 . While at Pearl Harbor , " Bucyrus Victory " put to sea on the 9th in company with " Texas " ( BB - 35 ) to test the feasibility of transferring ammunition to large warships while at sea . Soon after the successful conclusion of that experiment , the cargo carrier headed back to the U . S . West Coast , arriving in San Francisco , California , on 20 January . After about a month , she moved to Port Chicago , California , to load ammunition bound for the western Pacific . " Bucyrus Victory " departed Port Chicago on 18 February . Steaming independently by way of Eniwetok Atoll in the Marshall Islands , she arrived in the lagoon at Ulithi Atoll in the Eastern Caroline Islands on 8 March . There , she reported for duty to the Commander , Service Squadron ( ServRon ) 10 . Supporting the Okinawa campaign . The ship remained at Ulithi for just over two weeks , first discharging her original cargo to fleet units preparing for the assault on Okinawa and then reloading for her resupply role in the impending campaign . In company with several other ships , " Bucyrus Victory " put to sea on 24 March to join Task Group ( TG ) 50 . 8 , the replenishment group operating at sea in support of the U . S . 5th Fleet . She steamed in company with that task organization until ordered to Kerama Retto on 1 April . The ship entered the anchorage two days later and spent the next week distributing ammunition to various units of the fleet . Though enemy air attacks interrupted her work and sometimes stopped it altogether , " Bucyrus Victory " suffered no damage and took little or no part in the anti - air defense of the anchorage . She returned to sea on 11 April and rejoined Task Group 50 . 8 briefly before parting company with the replenishment group in accordance with orders directing her to Ulithi . There , the ship took on Okinawa - bound supplies — primarily ammunition for units of the U . S . 5th Fleet — before leaving Ulithi at the end of April . Danger from air attack . She pulled into Kerama Retto again on 3 May and resumed the work of distributing ammunition among the assembled ships . " Bucyrus Victory ' s " second tour of duty at Kerama Retto lasted a fortnight ; and , once again , Japanese aviators contributed all they could in the way of complications to her efforts . Those nuisances , however , did not prevent " Bucyrus Victory " from accomplishing her mission . On 17 May , she emerged unscathed from the anchorage and rejoined Task Group 50 . 8 in the holding area 24 hours steaming time to the east of Okinawa . A few days thereafter , the ersatz ammunition ship headed back to Ulithi . She remained at Ulithi until 4 June at which time she got underway for the Philippine Islands . From mid - June to late September , " Bucyrus Victory " lay at anchor in San Pedro Bay off Leyte receiving and storing ammunition . Supporting occupation forces . After the Japanese capitulation , her mission changed to one of providing support for the occupation forces in the Far East . She departed Leyte on 26 September and arrived in Buckner Bay , Okinawa , on 4 October . The ship provided support for the occupation forces for about five weeks . Post - war decommissioning and career . On 16 November , she headed back to the United States for inactivation and arrived back on the U . S . West Coast early in December . Following inactivation overhaul , " Bucyrus Victory " was placed out of commission at San Francisco on 24 April 1946 . That same day , she was transferred to the U . S . Maritime Commission ' s War Shipping Administration for disposal . Her name was struck from the Navy list on 8 May 1946 . Honors and awards . " Bucyrus Victory " earned one battle star during World War II : Qualified " Bucyrus Victory " personnel were eligible for the following :