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USNS Sgt. Truman Kimbro (T-AK-254)
Encyclopedia
USNS Sgt. Truman Kimbro (T-AK-254) was a Boulder Victory-class cargo ship
built for the U.S. Maritime Commission during the final months of World War II.
She was acquired by the U.S. Army in 1946 and renamed USAT Sgt. Truman Kimbro and served the Army until 1950 when she was acquired by the United States Navy
. She served the Navy worldwide until 1973 when she was struck and sold.
; launched on 30 November 1944; sponsored by Mrs. John A. Mc Keown; and delivered to the War Shipping Administration
on 22 December 1944 for operation by the Grace Line.
at Olympia, Washington
.
, and she was ordered reactivated for transfer to the Navy. On 5 August, she was assigned to the Navy's Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) ; and, manned by a civil service crew, she was placed in service in September as USNS Sgt. Truman Kimbro (T-AK-254).
Throughout the Korean War
, the ship was primarily employed in moving vital cargo across the Pacific Ocean to United Nations
forces fighting on that embattled peninsula
. She also made shorter runs to Alaska
n ports and to central Pacific bases.
, transatlantic, and Mediterranean runs.
She completed her last voyage to the Mediterranean in October; transited the Suez Canal
in November; and resumed cargo operations in the Pacific in December. Since then, into 1974, the Victory ship
continued to carry cargo for MSTS, now called the Military Sealift Command
.
on 15 June 1973. She was placed into reserve at the National Defense Reserve Fleet
, Suisun Bay
, Benicia, California
until sold for scrapping on 1 October 1982.
:
Qualified vessel personnel were authorized the following:
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
built for the U.S. Maritime Commission during the final months of World War II.
She was acquired by the U.S. Army in 1946 and renamed USAT Sgt. Truman Kimbro and served the Army until 1950 when she was acquired by the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. She served the Navy worldwide until 1973 when she was struck and sold.
Victory built in California
Sgt. Truman Kimbro (AK-254) was laid down under Maritime Commission contract (MCV hull 547) as Hastings Victory on 30 September 1944 by the Permanente Metals Corporation, Richmond, CaliforniaRichmond, California
Richmond is a city in western Contra Costa County, California, United States. The city was incorporated on August 7, 1905. It is located in the East Bay, part of the San Francisco Bay Area. It is a residential inner suburb of San Francisco, as well as the site of heavy industry, which has been...
; launched on 30 November 1944; sponsored by Mrs. John A. Mc Keown; and delivered to the War Shipping Administration
War Shipping Administration
The War Shipping Administration was a World War II emergency war agency of the US Government, tasked to purchase and operate the civilian shipping tonnage the US needed for fighting the war....
on 22 December 1944 for operation by the Grace Line.
U.S. Army service
Hastings Victory was operated by the Grace Line during the remainder of World War II and into the spring of 1946. She was then returned to the Maritime Commission and, on 18 June 1946, was transferred to the U.S. Army. Renamed Sgt. Truman Kimbro on 31 October 1947, she was operated by the Army Transportation Service through the 1940s and, on 19 January 1950, was laid up in the National Defense Reserve FleetNational Defense Reserve Fleet
The National Defense Reserve Fleet consists of "mothballed" ships, mostly merchant vessels, that can be activated within 20 to 120 days to provide shipping for the United States of America during national emergencies, either military or non-military, such as commercial shipping crises.The NDRF is...
at Olympia, Washington
Olympia, Washington
Olympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It was incorporated on January 28, 1859. The population was 46,478 at the 2010 census...
.
Korean War service
By July, however, war had broken out in KoreaKorea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, and she was ordered reactivated for transfer to the Navy. On 5 August, she was assigned to the Navy's Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) ; and, manned by a civil service crew, she was placed in service in September as USNS Sgt. Truman Kimbro (T-AK-254).
Throughout the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, the ship was primarily employed in moving vital cargo across the Pacific Ocean to United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
forces fighting on that embattled peninsula
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
. She also made shorter runs to Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
n ports and to central Pacific bases.
Post-war service
After the war, her itinerary was extended to include most large Far Eastern ports. In the spring of 1958, she was shifted temporarily to GreenlandGreenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
, transatlantic, and Mediterranean runs.
She completed her last voyage to the Mediterranean in October; transited the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
in November; and resumed cargo operations in the Pacific in December. Since then, into 1974, the Victory ship
Victory ship
The Victory ship was a type of cargo ship produced in large numbers by North American shipyards during World War II to replace shipping losses caused by German submarines...
continued to carry cargo for MSTS, now called the Military Sealift Command
Military Sealift Command
The Military Sealift Command is a United States Navy organization that controls most of the replenishment and military transport ships of the Navy. It first came into existence on 9 July 1949 when the Military Sea Transportation Service became solely responsible for the Department of Defense's...
.
Post-war decommissioning and career
Sgt. Truman Kimbro was placed out of service at an unknown date and struck from the Navy ListNaval Vessel Register
The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...
on 15 June 1973. She was placed into reserve at the National Defense Reserve Fleet
National Defense Reserve Fleet
The National Defense Reserve Fleet consists of "mothballed" ships, mostly merchant vessels, that can be activated within 20 to 120 days to provide shipping for the United States of America during national emergencies, either military or non-military, such as commercial shipping crises.The NDRF is...
, Suisun Bay
Suisun Bay
Suisun Bay is a shallow tidal estuary at in northern California, USA. It lies at the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, forming the entrance to the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, an inverted river delta...
, Benicia, California
Benicia, California
Benicia is a waterside city in Solano County, California, United States. It was the first city in California to be founded by Anglo-Americans, and served as the state capital for nearly thirteen months from 1853 to 1854. The population was 26,997 at the 2010 census. The city is located in the San...
until sold for scrapping on 1 October 1982.
Honors and awards
The Sgt. Truman Kimbro earned two battle stars during the Korean WarKorean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
:
- Communist China Aggression - 25 to 30 December 1950
- First UN Counter Offensive - 8 to 10 March 1951
Qualified vessel personnel were authorized the following:
- National Defense Service MedalNational Defense Service MedalThe National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...
- Korean Service MedalKorean Service MedalThe Korean Service Medal is an award of the United States military and was created in November 1950 by executive order of President Harry Truman. The Korean Service Medal is the primary United States medal for participation in the Korean War and is awarded to any U.S. service member, who...
(2) - United Nations Service MedalUnited Nations Service MedalThe United Nations Service Medal for Korea is an international military decoration which was established by the United Nations on December 12, 1950...
- Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)