American Victory

[Denny]

Thanks for that information Diver Dan and BTW, great photos of her that you took and posted. Thanks very much for posting them and sharing them with all of us to see. I know I speak for many of us boatnerds here when I say that it is sad to see such a classic and historic vessel soon to depart and leave us and meet her end! She was definitely a true classic as they just don't make and build them like her anymore that's for certain! She was a favorite vessel to many and I know my late Mother always talked about her when she once sailed as the Middletown. I used to have close friends in Saginaw that I'm sure if they were still here with us today, they would also be sad to see her go but like all us here they would also have fond memories of her as the Middletown. One of her captains I recall as the Middletown I believe his name was Ted Olm? He was a great guy and captain of her and usually I would always get her to salute as either the Middletown or American Victory! So long oh girl and friend and 3 Long and 2 Short and thanks for the many memories and salutes as you provided a lifetime of memories for me and many others here. You served your country and owners with Pride, Valor and Integrity. After so many years of travelling all over the world and the Great Lakes, it is now time to say good bye and so with that we bid you farewell and may you have calm seas and fair winds on your journey to another distant ocean and land!

[Diver Dan]

The tow passed DeTour around 6 PM Tuesday evening. The trailing tug dropped the steering line into the water with a float at the end, I guess for pickup by another tug above Port Huron.

The pilot boat came alongside and took off several people from the Victory. Anyone know why they rode the dead ship down the river? To be ready to drop anchor in case of emergency?

[Denny]

Anyone know or have any guess or ideas as to when they are due to be on the St. Clair River this week? From the news page today it mentioned "They were expected to lock down at the Soo Locks on June 19 around 11 A.M. and were expected to be downbound at the Huron Cut Buoys 11 & 12 around 4-5 A.M. on June 20!" Is this still the case or will they be coming through later than that as I am anticipating them to transit during daylight hours on the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers. I briefly caught them on boatnerd AIS today at the Soo and plan on heading up to Port Huron tomorrow hoping to see the classic lady for the last and final time and definitely don't want to miss her like I did the Algoway. Any times ETAs along with information is greatly and very much appreciated. Thank You.

[Guest]

Just watched this ship entering the Soo Locks for the final time this morning. Here are a few shots I found from the late 1990s. One is of the Middletown downbound at Mission Point and the other two are of it refueling at Imperial Oil at Sarnia, Ontario. Not the best shots of this ship by far, but thought I would share anyways.

[Guest]

Battle ribbons were placed by Captain Ted in early 1990's he did a investigation into her history and thought it was a proper thing to do

I believe, when a ship is awarded a battle star or ribbon, it states that the vessel "is authorized to display...."

So yes displaying those was a very proper thing to do!

[Guest]

I realize it's subject to a lot of variables...but anyone have a rough idea of what day the Victo would be in the Detroit River area?

[guest005]

Battle ribbons were placed by Captain Ted in early 1990's he did a investigation into her history and thought it was a proper thing to do

[Kory]

Well the Middleton (Vito) went under the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge for the last time at about 0830. She's ten miles out into kind of a ghostly fog where you can just see her topside. They dragged her pretty close to the north pier, like maybe 15 feet off with a Heritage tug on her stern. Kind of sad.

[geysir]

I will miss the bathtub in the guest room.
When I joined the ship as an able seaman (AB) I was placed in the guest room for a few days. Loved, loved, loved having a hot soak after working outside in December. Good times!

[Guest]

Decorations we're just removed either Thursday or Friday.
Didn't know the ship was awarded a purple heart.

Wouldn't think it would need a port of registry.

[MarcE]

Sad times for all of us who sailed on the Middletown over the years. Fast and very well built vessel.

[tugboathunter]

Photographed the ship today and saw that St. Catharines has now been added as the homeport on the stern. However, it doesn’t appear in Transport Canada’s database. Does it have to be registered Canadian to be towed? I would think not so I’m curious why this was done at the last minute.

Also, to debunk the tweets, all her battle stars and decoration are not there.

[Ray]

Duluth News Tribune article says 6am Sunday via the Superior entrance. Not that I'd doubt the newspaper- but is that the current plan? Also, is 6am pulling the Victory out of Frazier for the handoff - or when the tow with the McKeil gets underway.

I see the McKeil is just past the Apostle Islands tonight but has slowed down.

Anyway, appreciated any insights. I live about 1.5 hours away, at least 2 from the Superior entrance. I missed the John Sherwin tow by about half an hour - hope to not do that again. :) Thanks.

[Guest]

Do we even know if the physical decorations displayed on her are actually naval issued?

I know they're her commendations, but did the navy typically issue physical representations of these awards for a naval vessel to display? I especially wonder since she was mothballed in December 1945 which was just a few short months after the end of hostilities, and sold into civilian service in 1947.

So I wonder if these had even been awarded to her before she left government ownership, making me wonder if some enterprising crew member aboard her during her 2nd life as a Great Lakes bulk carrier researched her past and fashioned these physical representations of her awards to honor her history?

If they were displayed in earlier years, it wasn't in the same spot. The Boatnerd fleet gallery history page for her has two great views from an almost identical perspective as the Pioneer Challenger and then as the Middletown in 2000. Only visible in the latter picture.

Same with an older picture of her taken in Toledo at spring fit out in Toledo as the Middletown before her self-unloading conversion. No sign of the commendations in the spot they're displayed at today.

I suspect these aren't a physical USN item and that an Oglebay Norton sailor in the 80's or 90's aboard had a great sense of history and wanted to honor her past.

Then again, I could be all wrong. :)

[Guest]

It was a nice article in the Duluth paper. I didn’t realize that the Middletown was so fast and that it could break 20” of blue ice!

[Guest]

Just saw on Twitter where someone tweeted to President Trump about the American Victory.

Perhaps a reprieve? If people like and retweet the post or tweet the President themselves..

Stranger things have happened.

The username that posted is @AJoldhickory1

The boat is Canadian owned.

Interesting in the twitter post about the Naval stars, seems like those ought to have been removed when the ship was sold Canadian, anyone know if they have been? I don't know who they belong to if a ship is scrapped. If the navy doesnt' get them back, maybe they ought to go to the musuem in Duluth.

Wonder if there are still and Neshanic plank owners alive to claim their piece of the deck?

[guest 5]

Nice article in Duluth paper this morning:

https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/busin ... rs-its-end

[Guest]

Just saw on Twitter where someone tweeted to President Trump about the American Victory.

Perhaps a reprieve? If people like and retweet the post or tweet the President themselves..

Stranger things have happened.

The username that posted is @AJoldhickory1

The boat is Canadian owned.

[Guest]

Just saw on Twitter where someone tweeted to President Trump about the American Victory.

Perhaps a reprieve? If people like and retweet the post or tweet the President themselves.....

Stranger things have happened.

The username that posted is @AJoldhickory1

[Guest]

Any idea when that puts her at the Soo, or the Welland?