Boulder Victory-class cargo ship. The Boulder Victory-class cargo ship was a cargo ship design shipping use during World War II by the United States Navy. The Boulder Victory-class design is the same as the Victory ships built for the World War II United States Merchant Navy. A total of 20 Boulder Victory-class cargo ships were built in 1944 and 1945. Some of the ships were launched as Victory ships and then acquired by the United States Navy for the war effort. Some of the vessels were acquired by the United States Army and used in the U.S. Army Transportation Service. A few of the Boulder Victory-class cargo ships also served in the Korean War. Only one ship survived being scrapped, , now a museum ship at Richmond, California. Some the Boulder Victory-class cargo ships also served in the Military Sea Transportation Service of the United States Navy after World War II. Arriving late in the war, most of the Boulder Victory-class cargo ships operarted in the Pacific theatre, delivering needed supplies to the US Navy, US Army and United States Marine Corps. The ships were built under the Emergency Shipbuilding program for the War Shipping Administration. The ships were given the prefix of "AK" for auxiliary ship cargo. The lead ship in the class the,  was commissioned on 12 October 1944. Boulder Victory operated first as an ammunition ship, then a general supply ship. After the war Boulder Victory served as a seagoing cowboys ship helping with War Relief to war torn Europe.

Ships in class
A total of 20 Boulder Victory-class cargo ships were built and commissioned:
 , damaged by mine on 20 December 1944, scrapped in 1984 after US Navy service and merchant ship service.
 , scrapped 28 March 1972 after war relief and merchant ship service.
 , built as SS Bowling Green Victory, scrapped in 1974 after  U.S. Army Transportation Service and US Navy Ship use.
 , scrapped in October 1969 after merchant ship service.
  built as SS Hastings Victory, scrapped in 1982 after merchant ship service, US Navy service and Military Sea Transportation Service.
  scrapped in 1993 after US Navy service and merchant ship service.
  scrapped in 1993 after US Navy service and merchant ship service.
  scrapped in 1993 after US Navy service and merchant ship service.
  scrapped in 1993 after US Navy service and merchant ship service.
  built as SS Mills Victory,  scrapped in 1975 after merchant ship service, US Army Transportation Service and Military Sea Transportation Service.
  scrapped in 1992 after US Navy service and merchant ship service.
  (USNS Richfield) built at SS Owensboro Victory,  scrapped in 1976 after merchant ship service and US Army Transportation Corps service.
  scrapped in 1984 after US Navy service and merchant ship service.
  built as SS Radcliffe Victory scrapped in 1983 after merchant ship service and US Army Transportation Service.
  built as SS Red Oak Victory, Museum Ship at Richmond, California after merchant ship service, US Navy and merchant ship service.
  built as SS Stetson Victory scrapped in 1972 after merchant ship service and Military Sea Transportation Service.
  built as SS SS Stevens Victory scrapped in 1971 after merchant ship service, United States Army Transportation Service and Military Sea Transportation Service.
  built as SS Wabash Victory scrapped in 1974 after merchant ship service, United States Army Transportation Service and Military Sea Transportation Service.
  built as SS Waterville Victory scrapped in 1974 after merchant ship service, United States Army Transportation Service and Military Sea Transportation Service. 
  built as  SS Yale Victory scrapped in 1973 after merchant ship service, United States Army Transportation Service and Military Sea Transportation Service.

Design

Victory ships replace the numerous built Liberty ships. Victory ship/Boulder Victory Class cargo are fast and better built than the Liberty ship, with a top speed of . Liberty ships had a top speed of only .  Victory ships had more powerful steam turbine engines compared to the Liberty ship's triple-expansion steam engine. Victory ships are also slightly larger than the Liberty ships. Both Liberty ships and Boulder Victory ships have large hatches on the holds, and kingpost with large capacity booms cranes.  This allowed the ship to unload and load without a dock crane.   
 The USNS Private Joe E. Mann (T-AK-253)  was later upgraded to be a [[USNS Haiti Victory|Longview-class missile range instrumentation ship] (T-AGM) in 1960.

Builders
 Fifteen built by Permanente Metals at Richmond Shipyards in Richmond, California.
 Three built by Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Inc. at Baltimore, Maryland. 
 Two built by California Shipbuilding at Terminal Island in Los Angeles, California.
 Other shipyards built Merchant Victory ships.

CrewBoulder Victory Class cargo ships were crewed by 99 officers and enlisted. This included: Captain, Executive Officer (XO),radioman, Signalman, Navigation officer, Engineering officer, Deckhands, Chefs, and Stewards,  Boatswain's Mate (BM), and Quartermasters . Gunners and Fire controlman for the one stern /38-caliber dual-purpose gun; the one bow /50-caliber dual-purpose gun and the eight  Oerlikon cannons anti-aircraft (AA) guns.   

Gallery

See also
 List of auxiliaries of the United States Navy
 Empire ships
 List of Victory ships
 T2 tanker
 Type C1 ship
 Type C2 ship
 Type C3 ship

References

External links

 Liberty Ships and Victory Ships, America's Lifeline in War  – a lesson on Liberty ships and Victory ships from the National Park Service's Teaching with Historic Places
 "Victory Ship Makes 15 knots, Outstrips Liberty" Popular Mechanics'', December 1943

Boulder Victory-class cargo ships