USNS Sgt. Morris E. Crain
USNS Sgt. Morris E. Crain (T-AK-244) was a Boulder Victory-class cargo ship built at the end of World War II and served in the war prior to its demilitarization as a commercial cargo vessel. From post-war to 1950 she served the U.S. Army as a transport named USAT Morris E. Crain. In 1950 she was acquired by the U.S. Navy and assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service. In 1975 she ended her career and was placed into reserve.
| History | |
|---|---|
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| Name |
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| Namesake |
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| Ordered | as type (VC2-S-AP2) hull, MCV hull 741 |
| Builder | Permanente Metals Corporation, Richmond, California |
| Laid down | 14 February 1945, as SS Mills Victory |
| Launched | 28 March 1945 |
| Sponsored by | Miss Jane McVeigh |
| Acquired | 21 April 1945 |
| Commissioned | 8 June 1946, as USAT Sgt. Morris E. Crain |
| Decommissioned | 1 March 1950 |
| In service | 1 March 1950, as USNS Sgt. Morris E. Crain (T-AK-244) |
| Out of service | 11 March 1975 |
| Stricken | 1 April 1975 |
| Identification | Hull symbol:T-AK-244 |
| Honours and awards | National Defense Service Medal |
| Fate | Sold for scrapping, 17 July 1975, to General Metals of Tacoma, WA. |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Boulder Victory-class cargo ship |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 455 ft (139 m) |
| Beam | 62 ft (19 m) |
| Draft | 29 ft 2 in (8.89 m) |
| Installed power | 8,500 shp (6,300 kW) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 15.5 kn (17.8 mph; 28.7 km/h) |
| Complement | 53 officers and enlisted |
| Armament | none |
Victory ship built in California
Sgt. Morris E. Crain was laid down as Mills Victory under a U.S. Maritime Commission contract (MC hull V 741) on 14 February 1945 by Permanente Metals Corporation, Richmond, California; launched on 28 March 1945; sponsored by Miss Jane McVeigh; and delivered to the War Shipping Administration on 21 April 1945.
U.S. Army service
Renamed the Sgt. Morris E. Crain by the U.S. Army, the ship served the Army Transportation Corps until 1950 when it was transferred to the U.S. Navy.
Service with the MSTS
She was transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service in February 1950 to become a United States Naval Ship. Home ported in San Francisco, California, Sgt. Morris E. Crain made trips to the major islands of the Pacific Ocean and carried military cargo to Korea in support of United Nations forces there.
As of 1974, Sgt. Morris E. Crain continued her service as a United States Naval Ship with a civil service crew. Assigned to the Military Sealift Command, Sgt. Morris E. Crain carried cargo for all the services.
Decommissioning
She was decommissioned at an unknown date and struck from the Navy List on 1 April 1975. She was returned to the U.S. Maritime Commission on 17 July 1975. Her subsequent fate is not recorded.
Honors and awards
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 - USAT Sgt. Morris E. Crain - T-AK-244 Sgt. Morris E. Crain
