USNS Pvt. Joseph F. Merrell

USNS Pvt. Joseph F. Merrell
History
United States
NamePvt. Joseph F. Merrell
NamesakeJoseph F. Merrell
Owner
BuilderCalifornia Shipbuilding Corporation
Laid downMarch 1943
Launched28 June 1944
Acquired7 August 1944
Out of service26 August 1974
RenamedGrange Victory (1944–1948)
ReclassifiedT-AKV-4 (1950)
Stricken26 August 1974
Identification
Honours and
awards		See Awards
FateScrapped, 1974
General characteristics
Class and typeLt. James E. Robinson-class cargo ship
Displacement
  • 4,512 metric tons (4,441 long tons), standard
  • 15,589 metric tons (15,343 long tons), full load
Length455 ft (139 m)
Beam62 ft (19 m)
Draft29 ft 2 in (8.89 m)
Installed power8,500 shp (6,300 kW)
Propulsion
Speed15.5 knots (28.7 km/h; 17.8 mph)
Complement
  • 12 Officers
  • 87 Enlisted
Notes[1]

USNS Pvt. Joseph F. Merrell (T-AK-275), (former SS Grange Victory), was a Victory ship and the second ship of the Lt. James E. Robinson-class cargo ship built in 1944. The ship is named after Private Joseph F. Merrell, an American soldier who was awarded the Medal of Honor during World War II.[2]

Construction and commissioning

The ship was built in 1944 by the California Shipbuilding Corporation, Los Angeles, California. She was delivered to the War Shipping Administration to be used by the Isthmian SS Company as Grange Victory on 7 August 1944.[3]

On 23 November 1946, she was chartered by the Waterman Steamship Corporation until 29 December 1947 where she would be decommissioned and laid up at the Mobile Reserve Fleet after being acquired by the United States Maritime Administration. The ship was then transferred to the Transportation Corps of the US Army on 6 April 1948 and placed in service as USAT Pvt. Joseph F. Merrell.[3]

On 1 March 1950, she was again transferred to the US Navy and put in service as an aircraft transport with the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Pvt. Joseph F. Merrell (T-AKV-4).[4][3] The purpose of Pvt. Joseph F. Merrell was later changed to a cargo ship and re-designated as T-AK-275.[5]

On 9 January 1963, she unloaded cargos in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica during Operation Deep Freeze 63.[6]

On 29 December 1973, Pvt. Joseph F. Merrell had collided with the Liberian freighter Pearl Venture about 50 miles south of Monterey. Almost 400 barrels of fuel had leaked from the Merrell. Navy and Coat Guard worked together to cleanup the area. Merrell was towed to Avila Beach on 30 December to prevent the ship from sinking. Pearl Venture was being repaired in Los Angeles when Merrell arrived at Port Hueneme for repairs on 12 January 1974.[7]

She would finally be returned to the Maritime Administration on 26 August 1974, struck from the Naval Register and sold for $256,600 to the Long Jong Industry. Scrapped on the same day in Kaohsiung.[3]

Awards

References

  1. ^ Babcock & Wilcox (April 1944). "Victory Ships". Marine Engineering and Shipping Review.
  2. ^ "Joseph Frederick Merrell | World War II | U.S. Army | Medal of Honor Recipient". Congressional Medal of Honor Society. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d "Cargo Ship Photo Index". www.navsource.org. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  4. ^ "NH 103608 USNS Pvt. Joseph F. Merrell". NHHC. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  5. ^ Mercogliano, Salvatore R. (2017). Fourth Arm of Defense: Sealift and Maritime Logistics in the Vietnam War (PDF). Washington D.C.: Naval History and Heritage Command. p. 9. ISBN 9780945274988.
  6. ^ "NH 103612 USNS Pvt. Joseph F. Merrell". NHHC. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  7. ^ Navy Civil Engineer. Vol. 15. Naval Facilities Engineering Command. 1974. p. 37. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)

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