SS Waco Victory

The SS Waco Victory was a Victory ship built during World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding program. She was launched by the California Shipbuilding Company on July 22, 1944, and completed on October 14, 1944. The ship's United States Maritime Commission designation was 'VC2- S- AP3, hull number 37'. The 10,500-ton Victory ships were designed to replace the earlier Liberty Ships. Liberty ships were designed to be used just for World War II compared to Victory ships, which were designed to last longer and serve the US Navy after the war. Victory ships differed from Liberty ships in that they were faster, longer and wider, taller, had a thinner stack set farther toward the superstructure, and had a long raised forecastle.

Typical Victory ship
History
United States
Name	SS Waco Victory
Owner	U.S. Maritime Commission
Operator	America Mail Line
Builder	California Shipbuilding Corporation
Laid down	12 May 1944
Launched	22 July 1944
Acquired	14 October 1944
Out of service	1946
Fate	Sold to Belgium, 1947
Belgium
Name	SS Vinkt
Owner	Compagnie Maritime Belge
Acquired	1947
Fate	Sold to Liberia, 1965
Liberia
Name	SS Hongkong Grace
Owner	United Transoceanic Shipping Corp. (1965—1968) Universal Marine Corp. (1968—1973)
Acquired	1965
Fate	Damaged in a collision with the SS Mina, 1973; scrapped shortly thereafter
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)
Draught	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	1 × 5 inch (127 mm)/38 caliber gun 1 × 3 inch (76 mm)/50 caliber gun 8 × 20 mm Oerlikon
Notes

Following World War II service, Waco Victory was sold to Belgium where she served as the SS Vinkt from 1947 to 1965. She was eventually resold to Liberia in 1965 where she served as the SS Hongkong Grace until she was damaged in a collision with the SS Mina in 1973. Deemed beyond repair, she was eventually scrapped.

Accidents and incidents

1967: Severally damaged in a collision with the SS Linda; later repaired.

1973: Severally damaged in a collision with the SS Mina; scrapped soon after.