Private Joe P. Martinez AP-187

Private Joe P. Martinez

(AP-187: dp. 15,199 (f.), 1. 455'3"; b. 62'1", dr. 29'2" (max.); s. 15.5 k.; cpl. 96; trp. 1,259; cl. Boulder Victory; T. VC2S-AP2)

Private Joe P. Martinez was laid down aB Stevens Victory (MCV hull 825) by Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Inc., Baltimore, Md. 13 April 1945; launched 29 Mav, sponsored by Mrs. Harvey N. Davis; delivered to the Maritime Commission 25 June 1945 for conversion to a troop ship at Todd Shipyard, Hoboken, N.J., 29 June through 21 September 1945, thence to Grace Lines, Inc.

As Steuene Victory, the ship was operated by Grace Lines out of New York City in the Atlantic sea lanes. Her ports of call included Boston, Mass. and Newport News, Va. as well as Downs, Antwerp, Marseilles, Gibraltar, Bremerhaven, Le Havre, Liverpool, and Southampton.

The ship was transferred from the Maritime Commission to the Army 5 September 1946. Renamed Private Joe P. Martinez 3 October 1947, she was operated by the Army Transportation Service.

Private Joe P. Martinez transferred to the Navy 1 March 1950 as T-AP-187 at New York. With the outbreak of war in Korea in June, there was a great need for transport tonnage in the Pacific. Shifting to San Francisco, Private Joe P Martinez steamed for Okinawa and Yokohama 31 July 1950; returning to Seattle, Wash. 2 September.

She immediately took on troops and supplies and again steamed for WestPac, operating out of Japanese, Okinawan, and Korean ports. Private Joe P. Martinez made three additional cruises to WestPac, departing Korean waters for the last time 5 January 1951. She was laid up 1 September 1952 at Olympia, Wash. Transferred from the Navy to the Maritime Administration 30 September 1952, she was struck from the Navy List 6 November. Into 1970 she remains laid up at Olympia, Wash. in the National Defense Reserve Fleet.

Private Joe P. Martinez received four battle stars for Korean service.