Talk:SS Durham Victory
Add topic | This article is rated Start-class on Wikipedia's content assessment scale. It is of interest to the following WikiProjects: | |||||||
| ||||||||
Unsatisfactory performance of ship at Leyte
[edit]The ship's performance eve of Battle of Surigao Strait October 24th was notably unsatisfactory, so much so that recommendation civilian ships should not handle ammunition in combat areas. See pages 119-120 of THE BATTLE FOR LEYTE GULF. OCTOBER 1944. STRATEGICAL AND TACTICAL ANALYSIS. VOLUME V. BATTLE OF SURIGAO STRAIT, OCTOBER 24TH-25TH (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Battle_for_Leyte_Gulf_strategic_and_tactical_analysis_v.5_%28IA_battleforleytegu05bate%29.pdf).
DURHAM VICTORY, which was a commercial ship, carried nearly all of the heavy ammunition, i.e., six-inch and above, and (c) the DURHAM VICTORY rate of unloading was "slow, difficult and unsatisfactory" .***** This was because (1) the DURHAM VICTORY had "a very small civilian crew, no winchmen and no previous experience with ammunition handling"***** and (2) of the indifference and lack of cooperation of the DURHAM VICTORY'S officers and crew.*****
As regards the latter comment DESRON FIFTY-SIX stated, "with a serious enemy threat developing, with all ships greatly depleted, and with time a very potent factor, the commanding officer of this ship put every obstacle he could possibly think of in the way of replenishment operations. He was the most disagreeable, uncooperative individual it has ever been my misfortune to run up against. He refused to work through the noon hour. Ships would arrive alongside on schedule and his hatches would still be battened down. He refused to handle lines. This would add from one to two hours to each day's operations. His disrespectable (sic) crew would sit around and pass disparaging remarks to the already overworked and tired enlisted men. He himself sat up on his bridge in his undershirt and cursed and yelled at our officers and men. Our replenishment program progressed in spite of him—not because of him. It cannot be too strongly recommended that regular navy ammunition ships be utilized in combat areas".*
Asterisks refer to Action Report COMDESRON 56, Operations during seizure of Leyte Island, Philippines, Serial 0014, January 7th, 1945. 2600:4040:2953:1D00:819A:90E6:9195:461B (talk) 15:42, 10 April 2025 (UTC)