Last Days of the S.S. Earlham Victory

December 14, 2009 — The S.S. Earlham Victory has been towed to dry dock in San Francisco. Last summer, a crew who are restoring a sister Victory ship, the S.S. Red Oak Victory, worked to salvage key components from the Victory ships moored in the Suisun Bay, California reserve fleet before they were scrapped. Red Oak Victory volunteer Jason Atkin shot these images while aboard the Earlham Victory in June and shared them with us.

The bridge of the S.S. Earlham Victory. Birds, entering through open hatches and portholes, have fouled the interior along with rust and general neglect over nearly 40 years in the reserve fleet.

Looking down into the engine compartment.

Many may be surprised to learn how much is left on a ship in "mothballs." Often charts remain in the chartroom, mattresses remain in cabins and even mail is sometimes left in filing cabinets. Ships in the "Ready Reserve Fleet" are kept in much better condition.

On the Earlham Victory, looking forward from the midships house.

Port side boat deck looking aft. Note the paint chips. Environmentalists say that tons of paint chips have flaked off and fouled the waters of Suisun Bay, Calif., while the "Ghost Fleet" has been moored there. Loose paint on the sides of the ship was sandblasted prior to transport to Texas for scrapping.

Cabin deck on the port side of the ship.

Interior of a senior officer's cabin on the Earlham Victory.

The Earlham Victory being towed to drydock in December 2009. Sister ship S.S. Pan American Victory was cleaned in November. Thanks to Bill Sewall who took the photo and sent it to us.

Three Victory ships have been saved and turned into museum ships. For more information, please visit:

S.S. Red Oak Victory

S.S. Lane Victory

S.S. American Victory

Additional news reports on the fate of the Earlham Victory

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