SS Clarksdale Victory was the 80th Victory ship built during World War II. She was launched by the California Shipbuilding Company on January 27, 1945, and completed on February 26, 1945. The ship’s United States Maritime Commission designation was VC2-S-AP3, hull number 80. She was built in just 86 days under the Emergency Shipbuilding program. Clarksdale Victory served in the Pacific Ocean during World War II. Victory ships were designed to replace the earlier Liberty ships. Liberty ships were designed to be used just for World War II. Victory ships were designed to last longer and serve the US Navy after the war. The Victory ship differed from a Liberty ship in that they were: faster, longer and wider, taller, a thinner stack set farther toward the superstructure and had a long raised forecastle.shipbuildinghistory.com, Victory Ships list
World War II
During World War II Clarksdale Victory was a cargo supply ship. She took supplies to support the troops at the Battle of Okinawa. She was at Okinawa from April 26 to May 8, 1945. On April 27, 1945 a shell landed only 15 yards from the Clarksdale Victory. The shell exploded and fragments landed on her deck. One of Clarksdale Victorys lifeboats was damaged by the fragments. On the same day nearby, was hit by a kamikaze plane; the explosion in a cargo hold blew out the side of the ship, and she sank in seven minutes.US Navy, Action at OkinawaUSMM, Battle of Okinawa
After the War
After the war, in January of 1946 she came alongside at Yokohama, Japan, and unloaded of diesel oil.historicimages.com, Clarksdale Victory post card
USAT Clarksdale Victory was in US Army Transport service when ran aground and was wrecked on the British Columbia, Canada coastline off Hippa Reef Island, near Graham Island on November 24, 1947. Clarksdale Victory lost 49 of her 53 crew that day. She was en route from Whittier, Alaska to Seattle. She broke in two due to 50-foot waves pounding her into the rocks; she sank quickly. SS Denali was sent out in a rescue effort, but due to the high waves had to call off the rescue. The Coast Guard cutters and rescued four survivors and the bodies of three of the dead.K.E. Heaton, "Shipwrecks in British Columbia’s Waters", Harlow Marine, July 8, 2004 World Ship Societywrecksite, Clarksdale VictoryWrite Site map Gordon Newell, Maritime Events of 1947, H. W. McCurdy Marine History of the Pacific Northwest. p.549Photo of wreckPhoto of wreckPhoto of wreck
Honors The crew of the Naval Armed Guard on SS Clarksdale Victory''' earned "Battle Stars" in World War II for war action during the assault occupation of Okinawa from 26 April 1945 to 8 May 1945.
See also List of Victory ships Liberty ship Type C1 ship Type C2 ship Type C3 ship
References
Sources Sawyer, L.A. and W.H. Mitchell. Victory ships and tankers: The history of the ‘Victory’ type cargo ships and of the tankers built in the United States of America during World War II'', Cornell Maritime Press, 1974, 0-87033-182-5. United States Maritime Commission: Victory Cargo Ships