The Restoration of Tampa Bay’s American Victory

By William E. Males

After the great task of delivering the American Victory to her now home in Tampa Bay, the next step was getting her out of the water and to start cleaning her up. However, it is only fitting that we take the time to give a hearty thanks and recognition to Gulf Coast Transit who donated the towing services, which totaled over $200,000. Unless there are other visionaries to share the coast and labors many of the great benefits we all enjoy would not exist today. But thanks to them and their contribution American Victory was safely at her new home.

Likewise special appreciation is also extended to her courageous group of mariners who weathered two hurricanes and a tropical storm aboard the SS American Victory during the tow to safely bring the SS American Victory to Tampa Bay. The members of the riding crew aboard this historic trip included both Captain Art Whiting and Captain Roger Johnson. Also along were Bob Greenbaum, Jim Schaut and the father and son team, Charles and Chuck Harden.

Apart from weathering the storms, the crew maintained constant sentinel of the cargo lashings as well as removing over 60 pounds of oyster shells dropped by seagulls upon the main deck to crack them open. Because of their dedication and hard work much of the accumulated debris from thirty years in the James River Reserve Fleet the American Victory sailed proudly into Tampa Bay.

On December 19, 2003, the ship was moved into dry-dock at Tampa Bay Shipbuilding and Repair Company. Here workers prepared her main deck and superstructure by sandblasting and painting her. It was determined that more than 89,700 pounds of barnacles and other marine growth were sandblasted from the hull of the American Victory and over 10,000 gallons of paint were used to paint the ship’s hull, main deck and superstructure. The ship given a five year class maintenance on the bottom, mechanical systems and other equipment. Extensive restoration and repair with limited electrical power was restored to the ship’s systems, as well as the remounting of winches.

Though the work progressed steadily it took more time than anticipated. However, she was slipped back into the water with a fresh coat of paint looking ready for duty again and proud as ever. With a clean slick new hull and all the work that was performed the American Victory was sea worthy and ready to go. From the top of her mast to the main deckhouse to her hull, she was spit cleaned and polish.

In October 2002, Dr. Jay Martin joined the staff of the American Victory as Executive Director. With his experience from his work with the Wisconsin Maritime Museum and the World War II submarine USS Cobia, his knowledge and contacts contributed greatly to success of the American Victory project. It was with his focused and direction that helped to get the ship away from the dock for her sea trials the following March.

On Saturday, September 20, 2003, after four years and four days and nearly 80,000 hours of donated volunteer time, the SS American Victory set sail the ship took its official Shakedown Cruise. With a total of with 497 passengers and crew the voyage was without a doubt an overwhelming success for her. Commemorating the cruise was the flyover by of a World War II vintage Navy T-28 to the delights of crew and passengers. There was also a wreath laying ceremony in honor of the many lost Merchant Mariners and Naval Armed Guard crews.

Those who were fortunate to participate were treated to a tour of the ship, provided a continental breakfast, lunch and afternoon snacks and treated to the swing music of The Treble Clefs Band, the Floyd Johnson Band and were entertained by swing dancers. On board also were some World War II re-enactors, many of whom were outfitted in full combat gear. Thanks go out to Tampa’s petroleum carrier Maritrans, Inc., which provided the necessary fuel.

A trip to Tampa is not complete without a visit to the SS American Victory, so make sure to schedule a visit to experience the accomplishment of so many that gives the people of Tama Bay a cause to be proud. This isn’t just a ship, it is the SS American Victory, an important part of our rich past, so be sure to check her out. You’ll be glad you did.

Again, special thanks for the enormous amounts of work at were accomplished at Tampa Bay Shipbuilding & Repair with the dedication, sweat and hard work of many its subcontractors and suppliers donated most of the labor, equipment, and materials necessary to bring about the restoration and transformation of the SS American Victory. More than $600,000 of the cost of the labor and materials was donated by Tampa Bay Shipbuilding & Repair. Other firms contributing to American Victory’s restoration included SeaBulk Towing, Corrosion Control Services, inc., Marine Towing of Tampa Bay, Ameron Paints, Florida Marine Chemists, Diversified Environmental Services, Sherwin Williams SeaGuard and Pfitzco.