The SS Phillips Victory (MCV-758), was a type VC2-S-AP2 victory ship built by Permanente Metals Corporation, Richmond shipyard #2,[1] of Richmond, California. It was one of 150[2] victory ships named after educational institutions. The Phillips Victory was named after Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma.[3] The ship was christened on May 26, 1945, at Richmond Yard 2 by Mrs. Edward Stettinius in the presence of United Nations delegates and Native Americans.[3] Shipyard manager C.P. Bedford spoke of the history of the university, and Captain H.G. Gatlin, the Treasure Island Navy chaplain gave the invocation.[3]
| History | |
|---|---|
.svg){kind=small} United States | |
| Namesake | Phillips University |
| Owner | War Shipping Administration |
| Operator | General Steamship Company |
| Builder | Permanente Metals, |
| Launched | 1945-05-26 |
| Christened | 1945-05-26 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Victory ship |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 455 ft (139 m) |
| Beam | 62 ft (19 m) |
| Draft | 29 ft 2 in (8.89 m) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 15.5 kn (17.8 mph; 28.7 km/h) |
| Capacity |
|
| Complement | 62 Merchant Marine and 28 US Naval Armed Guards |
| Armament |
|
World War II
editThe ship, originally named Phillips Victory, was not so named for long. It set out for London on May 26, 1945,[1] and arrived on June 20, 1945. Phillips Victory operated by General Steamship Company under charter with the Maritime Commission and War Shipping Administration.
Post war
editThe Ocean Steam Ship Company purchased the boat on January 2, 1946,[4] then renaming it Memnon and in 1957, Glaucus. The Iranian Lloyd Company, Limited of Khorramsshar in 1962, renamed the ship the Persian Ferdowsi. In 1965, the company, then called the Iranian Shipping Lines renamed the boat the Kashan.[5] In 1966, it was sold to Paul J Frangoulis & A & I Cliafas of Piraeus who renamed the boat the Eleni K.[6] The Iranian Navy arrested the boat and its crew for unpaid debt in October of that year, and again a month later for setting out to sea without permission. The Navy fired on the boat, after pursuing it with a destroyer, 5 frigates, 3 launches and a helicopter.[5] The boat remained in Bandar Shapur and in 1968 was again sold and renamed Pirouzi. In May 1969 the ship was towed to Hong Kong and demolished in June.[6]
References
edit- ^ a b "Some Pacific Coast Launchings from May 15 to June 15", Pacific marine review, Volume 42, 1945, pg 423
- ^ "For Servicemen: Who Chose the names for the new merchant ships built during the war?", The Southeast Missourian, April 29, 1946, pg 4
- ^ a b c "Mrs. Stettinius Christens Ship", The Oakland Tribune, May 27, 1945, pg A-7
- ^ Nautical gazette, Volume 141, 1947, pg. 50
- ^ a b Jaffee, Walter W., "10. Phillips Victory", The Victory Ships From A(Aberdeen Victory) to Z(Zaneville Victory), 2006, pg 237-238.
- ^ a b Sawyer, Leonard Arthur, and Mitchell, William Harry, "758 PHILLIPS VICTORY", Victory Ships and Tankers: the history of the Victory type cargo ships and of the tankers built in the United States of America during World War II, Cornell Maritime Press, 1974, pg 53