Sgt. Howard E. Woodford AP-191

Sgt. Howard E. Woodford
(AP-191: dp. 6,550; 1. 455'3", b. 62', dr. 28'6", s. 15.5
k.; cl. Boulder Victory, T. VC2-S-AP-2 )

Sgt. Howard E. Woodford was laid down under a Maritime Commission contract (MC hull V-286) on 18 April 1945 as Goucher Victory by Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Inc., Baltimore, Md., launched on 2 June 1945; sponsored by Miss Susannah Eby of Goucher College, and delivered to the War Shipping Administration on 30 June 1945.

Converted into a troop transport that summer Goucher Victory, renamed Sgt. Howard E. Woodford served the Army Transportation Corps at the close of World War II, returning American troops to the United States.

On 7 September 1949, the Army Ocean Transport Service declared the troop transport in excess of military requirements, and she was placed in the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay, Calif. On 1 October, Sgt. Howard E. Woodford was transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service, and was delivered on 22 July 1950 to become a USNS ship. For nearly a year and one-half, Sgt. Howard E. Woodford saw continuous service in Japanese and Korean waters before being placed in the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Olympia and being struck from the Navy list on 4 December 1952.

The troop transport was sold to Tai Kien Industry Co. Ltd., on 27 March 1972 for scrapping.

Sgt. Howard E. Woodford received five battle stars for service in the Korean conflict.