Name SS South Bend Victory In service 27 July 1945 Name USNS Bowditch Launched 30 June 1945 | Laid down 11 May 1945 Out of service 22 October 1953 Construction started 11 May 1945 Length 139 m | |
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Fate Transferred to the Navy, 2 August 1957 Builders Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation, Portland | ||
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).
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SS South Bend Victory
SS South Bend Victory was a World War II era Victory ship. She was laid down on 11 May 1945 and delivered to the Maritime Commission on 30 June 1945. The ship was acquired by the U.S. Navy in August 1957, renamed Bowditch, and converted to an Oceanographic Survey Ship (AGS) at the Charleston Naval Shipyard from 10 October 1957 to 30 September 1958.
USNS Bowditch T-AGS-21
USNS Bowditch T-AGS-21 was operated by the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) for the U.S. Naval Oceanographic Office in the Ocean Survey Program (OSP) under direction of the U.S. Navy Office of Special Projects in support of the U.S. Navy Fleet Ballistic Missile Program. Three ships were converted for this purpose: Bowditch, and identical sister ships Dutton and Michelson.
Attached aboard Bowditch was a US Navy Oceanographic Detachment, upgraded ca. May 1966 to an Oceanographic Unit, of approximately 3 officers and 22 enlisted personnel, mostly technicians. Varying numbers of civilian scientists and engineers managed survey operations, and maintained certain navigation and sonar equipment, usually about 12 oceanographers from the Naval Oceanographic Office, some personnel from the Naval Applied Sciences Laboratory, and about 7 technical representatives from private corporations.
Bowditch was taken out of service and Disposed of by MARAD exchange 4 March 1988.