USNS Bowditch (T-AGS-21)
Typical Victory Ship | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| United States | |
| Name | SS South Bend Victory |
| Namesake | Nathaniel Bowditch |
| Owner | War Shipping Administration |
| Operator | Waterman Steamship Company for World War II |
| Builder | Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation, Portland, Oregon |
| Laid down | 11 May 1945 |
| Launched | 30 June 1945 |
| In service | 27 July 1945 |
| Out of service | 22 October 1953 |
| Fate | Transferred to the Navy, 2 August 1957 |
| United States | |
| Name | USNS Bowditch |
| Namesake | Nathaniel Bowditch |
| Acquired | 2 August 1957 |
| In service | 8 October 1958 |
| Out of service | 1988 |
| Stricken | 4 March 1988 |
| Identification | IMO number: 7738450 |
| Fate | Sold for scrapping, 4 March 1988 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Oceanographic survey ship |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 455 ft (139 m) |
| Beam | 62 ft (19 m) |
| Draft | 23 ft (7.0 m) |
| Propulsion | Cross compound steam turbine with double reduction gear, 6,000–8,500 hp (4.5–6.3 MW) |
| Speed | 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) |
| Complement | 62 Merchant Marine and 28 US Naval Armed Guards, during WW2 |
| Armament |
|
| Notes | |
USNS Bowditch (T-AGS-21) was the lead ship of her class of oceanographic survey ships for the United States Navy. Launched as the SS South Bend Victory in 1945, Maritime Commission hull number MCV 694, a type VC2-S-AP3 Victory ship, she was named for Nathaniel Bowditch, the second U.S. Navy vessel named in his honor. The ship was acquired by the Navy in August 1957 and converted to an AGS at Charleston Naval Shipyard. Named Bowditch on 8 August 1957 and placed in service 8 October 1958 for operation by the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS).