During WWII, hundreds of troop and cargo ships were built, using production line techniques.  Many of these ships were built in only a few days.  Earlier vessels were called Liberty ships.  Their successors, a modified version of the Liberty, were called Victory ships.  534 Victory ships launched during WWII were used for transporting troops, ammunition, food, supplies, equipment, and vehicles.  Each ship was 455 feet long, 62 feet wide, and weighted about 10 thousand tons.  150 of the ships were named after US colleges and universities.  The S.S. Carthage Victory was used exclusively for cargo. Jack Harris ’49, an Associate Member of the US Merchant Marine Veterans of World War II, initiated research regarding the SS Carthage Victory.  Additional background information was secured by John Sladek ’65.

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