US SHIPS with
HISPANIC NAMES
USNS BENAVIDEZ
(T-AKR_306)
USS GONZALEZ
(DDG-66)
USNS MARTINEZ
(T-AP-187)
USNS VALDEZ
(T-AG-169)
USS GARCIA
(FF-1040)
USS VALDEZ
(FF-1096)
USNS CHAVEZ
(T-AKE-14)
USS PERALTA
(DDG 115)
Some Information courtesy of Wikipedia - more info here |
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USNS Martinez (T-AP-187) was a Boulder Victory-class cargo ship built for the
United States Navy during the closing period of World War II. The ship was named after
Private Joe P. Martinez, a Medal of Honor recipient.
Shown above is the ship retuning
from Korea, the deck lined by Korean War Veterans.
Pvt. Joseph P. Martinez
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Pvt. Joseph P. Martinez was born in Toas, New Mexico and attained the rank of
Private in the U.S. Army, Company K, 32nd Infantry, 7th Infantry Division. On
Attu, Aleutians, 26 May 1943 he gallantly made his stand beyond the call of
duty.
Over a period of several days, repeated efforts to drive the enemy from a key
defensive position high in the snow-covered precipitous mountains between
East Arm Holtz Bay and Chichago Harbor had failed,
On 26 May 1943, troop dispositions were readjusted and a trial coordinated
attack on this position by a reinforced battalion was launched. Initially
successful, the attack hesitated. In the face of severe hostile machinegun, rifle,
and mortar fire, Pvt. Martinez, an automatic rifleman, rose to his feet and
resumed his advance.
Occasionally he stopped to urge his comrades on. His example inspired others to
follow.
After a most difficult climb, Pvt. Martinez eliminated resistance from
part of the enemy position by B.A.R. fire and hand grenades, thus assisting the
advance of other attacking elements. This success only partially completed the
action.
The main Holtz-Chichagof Pass rose about 150 feet higher, flanked by steep
rocky ridges and reached by a snow-filled defile. Passage was barred by enemy
fire from either flank and from tiers of snow trenches in front. Despite these
obstacles, and knowing of their existence, Pvt. Martinez again led the troops on
and up, personally silencing several trenches with BAR fire and ultimately
reaching the pass itself.
Here, just below the knifelike rim of the pass, Pvt. Martinez encountered a final
enemy-occupied trench and as he was engaged in firing into it he was mortally
wounded. The pass, however, was taken, and its capture was an important
preliminary to the end of organized hostile resistance on the island.
His Medal Of Honor was the only WWII medal that was awarded outside of
Pearl Harbor.
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| Name: Stevens Victory |
| Namesake: |
- Stevens Institute of Technology
- Joe P. Martinez awarded the Medal of Honor
|
| Ordered: |
as type (VC2-S-AP2) hull, MCV hull 825 |
| Builder: |
Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Inc., Baltimore, Maryland |
| Laid down: |
13 April 1945, as SS Stevens Victory |
| Launched: |
29 May 1945 |
| Sponsored by: |
Mrs. Harvey N. Davis |
| Completed: |
25 June 1945 |
| Acquired: |
5 September 1946, by the U.S. Army |
| Commissioned: |
3 October 1947, as USAT Private Joe P. Martinez |
| Decommissioned: |
1 March 1950 |
| In service: |
1 March 1950, as USNS Private Joe P. Martinez (T-AP-187) |
| Out of service: |
1 September 1952 |
| Struck: |
6 November 1952 |
| Identification: |
Hull symbol:T-AP-187 |
Honors and
awards: |
four battle stars for Korean War service |
| Fate: |
scrapped in 1971 |
|
| General Characteristics
|
| Class and type: |
Boulder Victory-class cargo ship |
| Displacement: |
- 4,480 long tons (4,550 t) (standard)
- 15,580 long tons (15,830 t) (full load)
|
| Length: |
455 ft (139 m) |
| Beam: |
62 ft (19 m) |
| Draft: |
29 ft 2 in (8.89 m) |
| Installed power: |
8,500 shp (6,300 kW) |
| Propulsion: |
- 1 × cross compound steam turbine - 1 × shaft
|
| Speed: |
15.5 kn (17.8 mph; 28.7 km/h) |
| Troops: |
1,259 |
| Complement: |
96 officers and enlisted |
| Armament: |
none |
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