SS American Victory is a Victory ship which saw brief service in the Pacific Theater of Operations during the final months of World War II, Korean War from 1951–1954, and Vietnam War from 1966–1969. Built in June 1945, she carried ammunition and other cargo from Los Angeles to Southeast Asia, then ferried cargo, equipment and troops back to the U.S. after the war ended. She survived two typhoons and one hurricane. She circumnavigated the globe once. American Victory spent part of the period between 1946 and 1966 chartered to commercial carriers and the other part in two stints in U.S. reserve fleets. From 1966 to 1969 she delivered cargo to Southeast Asia in the Vietnam War, then three decades again in reserve. In April 1999, she was turned over to a preservation organization to serve as a museum ship. Today she is the main feature of the American Victory Ship & Museum, also known as the American Victory Mariners Memorial & Museum Ship in Tampa, Florida's Channel District. History World War II era Named after the American University in Washington, D.C., the ship was built at the California Shipbuilding Yard (Calship) in Los Angeles, California, launched after just 55 days, "fitted out" for another month, and was then delivered to the War Shipping Administration (WSA) on 20 June 1945. American Victory, a United States Merchant Marine ship, was operated for WSA under a general agency agreement by Hammond Shipping Co. Ltd. She loaded United States Army cargo at Fort Mason then took on cargo at Los Angeles and other west coast ports before steaming to Manila in the Philippines. She was in Manila when the war ended. She took her remaining cargo to Shanghai, China, and spent the next two months sailing the South China Sea and Bay of Bengal. In November 1945, American Victory sailed to Calcutta and Port Said, Egypt and numerous other ports, loaded with military cargo to be returned to the United States. She arrived in New York in January 1946, and unloaded her cargo, having completed her first cruise. At the end of the war she ferried more cargo, equipment and troops stateside. Post-World War II From 29 June 1946 until November 1947, American Victory was bareboat chartered by American Export Lines. The ship carried foodstuffs and machinery exported from the United States to Europe, Russia, and the Near East under the Marshall Plan, the