SS Quinault Victory

SS Quinault Victory 18 July 1944
History
United States
Name	SS Quinault Victory
Namesake	Quinault, Washington
Owner	War Shipping Administration
Operator	United States Lines
Builder	Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation, Portland OR
Laid down	3 May 1944
Launched	17 June 1944
In service	11 July 1944
Out of service	17 July 1944
Fate	Exploded & sank 17 July 1944 Port Chicago, CA USA
General characteristics
Class and type	Victory Ship VC2-S-AP3
Tonnage	7,608 GRT 12,000 DWT
Length	439 ft (150 m)
Beam	62 ft (21.2 m)
Draft	28 ft 6 in (8.1 m)
Propulsion	Westinghouse DR geared turbine, 2 x single screwed shaft horsepower 8,500
Speed	16.5 knots
Complement	36 Merchant Marine and 17 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	MC Hull No. 115

The SS Quinault Victory was the thirty-first Victory ship built by Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation in Portland, Oregon under the auspices of the Emergency Shipbuilding Program in support of America's involvement in World War II. Laid-down on 3 May 1944 and launched on 17 June), Quinault Victory was delivered to the War Shipping Administration and subsequently leased to the United States Lines Company.

Port Chicago, California

On July 11, 1944 Quinault Victory sailed from Portland arriving at the Shell Oil Company's Martinez, California refinery on July 17, 1944 where she took on a partial load of fuel oil. Some of the oil taken aboard was of a type that released light hydrocarbon gas on agitation, heating, or standing. This could have resulted in formation of an explosive mixture in the confined air space above the oil in the tanks. Prior to being sent to Martinez for a pre-loading inspection was made by the Port Director's officers and the Captain of the Port's office, and no defects were noted.

Graphic reconstruction of the pier, boxcars and ships at Port Chicago just prior to explosion, with estimates of type and weight of cargo

Upon leaving Martinez she sailed up Suisun Bay to Port Chicago Naval Magazine, California arriving approximately 6:00 PM (Pacific War Time) in preparation for her maiden voyage. Some difficulty was experienced in mooring her due to winds and tides. She was moored on the starboard side headed east at the outboard berth across from the SS E.A. Bryan, a Liberty ship. Upon arrival at Port Chicago, California both the loading officer and his assistants visited the ship, gave copies of pertinent magazine orders to the master, inspected some of the holds and saw that the ship was being properly rigged for loading. The number 5 cargo hold was not being rigged, as it was not to be loaded that night. As a new ship, this was the first time the Quinault Victory had been rigged for loading. Trouble was experienced with shackles and preventer guys as they were non-standard. Winding on some of the winches were on backwards and had to be corrected. Loading normally have started at midnight. Dunnage ammunition and loaded railcars were parked on the pier for loading to the ships. The railcars slated for Quinault Victory contained 253 tons of bombs and 5 inch projectiles for 5"/25 caliber guns. Across the pier the E.A. Bryan was already loaded with 6,064 tons of ammunition and had an additional 176 tons on the pier, including 60 tons of incendiary clusters, to be loaded before departing.

Port Chicago disaster

Main article: Port Chicago disaster

On July 17, 1944, at 10:18 p.m., two major explosions occurred 6 seconds apart in what became known as the Port Chicago disaster. The detonation of 4,600 tons of munitions being loaded onto the Quinault Victory and E.A. Bryan, registered at a magnitude of 3.4 on the seismograph at the University of California, Berkeley, some 20 miles away. The force of the explosions lifted the Quinault Victory out of the water, and she landed 500 ft (150 m) away upside-down and facing the opposite direction. The E.A. Bryan was essentially vaporized, as there were no identifiable remains of her following the explosions. 320 sailors and dockworkers were killed and 390 were injured, making it the worst U.S. home front disaster of World War II.

The span of only twelve weeks between the ship's keel being laid and the disaster may make Quinault Victory the most short-lived of all the Victory ships.

The names of those killed aboard Quinault Victory are listed at the Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial which was dedicated in 1994.

Typical Victory Ship

See also

• Liberty ship Earlier mass produced cargo ship
• List of Victory ships
• Type C1 ship
• Type C2 ship
• Type C3 ship