ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY 21 MARCH 1951
The NOTRE DAME VICTORY was floated from the dry dock on March 21, 1951, three months and two days after she entered the dock, and was rechristened b.) CLIFFS VICTORY.
The Cliffs Victory was a cargo vessel, originally built as a Victory ship, during World War II, as the Notre Dame Victory, and subsequently lengthened and converted to a lake freighter for the Cleveland-Cliffs Inc
The ship was built in 1945 by Oregon Shipbuilding Company in Portland, Oregon as hull # 1229. She had been mothballed, following her brief World War II service, and, when the Korean War required more vessels on the Great Lakes, she was purchased by Cleveland Cliffs, who planned to adapt her for service on the Lakes. According to Mark Thompson, author of Queen of the Lakes, these plans triggered skepticism. But the conversion took only 90 days. Floated from dry-dock on March 21, 1951.
Built as the "Victory" ship NOTRE DAME VICTORY for the U.S. Maritime Commission. Dimensions: 455' loa x 62' beam x 38' depth, 10,750 DWT. Powered by a 9,350 s.h.p. double reduction geared, cross-compound steam turbine engine with 2 oil-fired water tube boilers.
Purchased by Cleveland-Cliffs Steamship Co. in Dec. of 1950. The hull was lengthened to 619' loa, capacity increased to 14,500 DWT at Baltimore, MD. Renamed CLIFFS VICTORY on Mar. 21, 1951. Towed up the Mississippi River to S. Chicago, arriving there May 9, 1951, to complete the lake boat conversion at
American Ship Building's yard. Entered service on June 4, 1951. She was known for her distinctive profile and high-speed runs, given the informal title "Speed Queen of the Lakes". [Some consider the
Charles M. White to be faster.] Lengthened in 1957 to 716' 03" loa at S. Chicago with a new capacity of 17,600 DWT. Bow thruster added in early 1964. Laid up at end of the 1981 season at S.Chicago.
21 December 1971: Large machinery damage discovered; estimated cost of $100,000.
20 April 1975: Collided with the
SS Benson Ford [actually, it is MV instead of SS] while attempting to break the latter vessel free from ice; Went into Fraser Shipyards for port bow repairs and was returned to service on April 24.
9 December 1976: Ran aground near Johnson Point in the St. Marys River while downbound in heavy ice conditions. Freed December 11. The incident later became known as the "worst traffic jam in the river in fifty years", with about seventy vessels delayed by the incident. The assistance of three tugs and a Coast Guard icebreaker required to free victory. During the inspection, it was discovered that the rudder had been lost in the incident.
Sold Oct. 12, 1985, for scrap for $235,000. Reflagged Panamanian and renamed SAVIC by painting out the letters CLIFF and ORY and adding an A in the middle. Left S. Chicago Dec. 17, 1985, under own power and, after many delays, arrived at Masan, S. Korea on Dec. 22, 1986. Dismantled 1987.
