USS Mayfield Victory

USS Mayfield Victory (AK-232)
History
United States
Name	Mayfield Victory
Namesake	Mayfield, Kentucky
Ordered	as type (VC2-S-AP2) hull, MCV hull 541
Builder	Permanente Metals Corporation, Richmond, California
Yard number	Yard No.1
Laid down	10 August 1944
Launched	10 October 1944
Sponsored by	Miss Evelyn Fuller
Acquired	19 November 1944
Commissioned	19 November 1944
Decommissioned	5 April 1946
Stricken	17 April 1946
Identification	Hull symbol:AK-232
Fate	sold for scrapping, 31 March 1993 to Ever-Glitter Int'l., Ltd. New York, N.Y.
General characteristics
Class and type	Template:Sclass-
Displacement	4,480 long tons (4,550 t) (standard) 15,580 long tons (15,830 t) (full load)
Length	455 ft (139 m)
Beam	62 ft (19 m)
Draft	29 ft 2 in (8.89 m)
Installed power	6,000 shp (4,500 kW)
Propulsion	1 × Westinghouse turbine 2 × Foster Wheeler header-type boilers, 525psi 750° double Westinghouse Main Reduction Gears 1 × shaft
Speed	15.5 kn (17.8 mph; 28.7 km/h)
Complement	99 officers and enlisted
Armament	1 × 5 in (130 mm)/38 caliber dual purpose gun 1 × 3 in (76 mm)/50 caliber dual purpose gun 8 × 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon cannons anti-aircraft gun mounts

USS Mayfield Victory (AK-232) was a Template:Sclass- 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 and then returned to the United States for disposal.

Victory built in California

Mayfield Victory (AK 232) was laid down under U.S. Maritime Commission contract 10 August 1944 by Permanente Metals Corporation, Yard 1, Richmond, California; launched 10 October 1944; sponsored by Miss Evelyn Fuller; acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Commission under loan charter 19 November 1944; and commissioned the same day, Lt. Comdr. Niels H. Olsen, USNR, in command .

World War II operations

Following shakedown off San Pedro, California, into December, Mayfield Victory loaded ammunition at Aberdeen, Washington, and at Puget Sound, Washington, before sailing for the South Pacific Ocean the 24th. She arrived Pearl Harbor 1 January 1945 to unload her cargo and 15 days later returned to the U.S. West Coast, arriving San Francisco, California, 22 January.

Mayfield Victory departed San Francisco 11 February for the Caroline Islands, via Eniwetok, the Marshall Islands, arriving Ulithi 3 March. She remained there until 13 April when she continued on to the Ryukyu Islands for the Okinawa campaign 1 April to 21 June, the second American objective in the “hop, skip, and jump” to the Empire of Japan warned against by Japanese Admiral Ito. The cargo ship spent 4 weeks in the area, operating with Task Group 50.8 until 23 April when she anchored in Kerama Retto. During the latter period Mayfield Victory continually issued ammunition, often under direct enemy air attack.

On 14 May Mayfield Victory steamed for Ulithi, arriving the 21st. Four days later she continued on to the Philippine Islands for a 30 day stopover at Leyte. The ship then returned to Kerama Retto 1 July. On 8 July she moved to Buckner Bay, Okinawa, where she remained on supply duty until late October.

On 25 October Mayfield Victory got underway for home, stopping at Seattle, Washington, in December before arriving San Francisco 9 February 1946.

Post-war decommissioning

She decommissioned 5 April 1946 and was delivered to the War Shipping Administration (WSA) for U.S. Maritime Commission service into 1969 as a freighter operated by American Mail Line, Ltd., Seattle, Washington.

References

•  This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
• NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive - AK-232 Mayfield Victory