SS Claymont Victory

SS Claymont Victory was a Victory ship-based troop transport built for the U.S. Army Transportation Corps late in World War II which saw service in the European Theater of Operations and in the immediate post-war period repatriating U.S. soldiers at war's end.

Construction and operation
SS Claymont Victory was laid down on September 25, 1944 as a type VC2-S-AP2 hull by Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard of Baltimore, Maryland, and launched on November 18, 1944. She was then converted into a dedicated troopship, and delivered on December 15, 1944. She was operated on behalf of USAT by Eastern Steamship Lines.

World War II
As a transport allocated to the U.S. Army USAT Claymont Victory was crewed by United States Merchant Marines, protected by a contingent of the US Naval Armed Guards, and had a complement of the US Army Transportation Corps (Water Division) aboard for troop administration.

She was armed with a 5 inch (127 mm) stern gun for use against submarines and surface ships, a bow-mounted 3"/50 caliber gun and eight 20 mm cannon for use against aircraft.

Units transported
Units transported by the SS Claymont Victory include:
 * 289th Engineer Combat Battalion, which departed Antwerp, Belgium August 14, 1945, for deployment to the Pacific Theater in preparation for the invasion of Japan. The Claymont Victory was abreast the White Cliffs of Dover in the English Channel when the announcement of the Japanese surrender on VJ Day, August 15th, was broadcast to all aboard. The transport was then re-routed to the United States, and arrived at Boston POE on August 28.

Post-war
The SS Claymont Victory was purchased in 1947 by MARIEKERK, N.V.Vereenigde Nederl.Scheep.Maats, The Hague. In 1966 she was renamed KAVO LONGOS, Kavo Cia, Nav.S.A., and registered in Monrovia. In 1971 she was scrapped in Whampoa.