Recently renovated WWII ship returns to Tampa

SS American Victory gets facelift

A 77-year-old ship that sailed during WWII is staying in ship-shape.

TAMPA, Fla. - After completing a visit to the dry dock for some inspections, renovations and repainting, the SS American Victory ship is back in the waters off downtown Tampa.

Once every five years, the boat needs to go into dry dock to have its haul inspected. While it was there it got a fresh coat of paint, which protects it from the environment.

"Dazzle paint scheme was used in WWII to provide a camouflage on open waters," explained Bill Kuzmick, the president of The Victory Ship Incorporated. "There are different colors and different hues depending on where the ship was sailing. Blues were very common in the Caribbean and beyond, so we have a mix of gray and blues and brighter blues as well as the red bottom…We’re kind of giving a nod to all of our sports teams here in the Tampa Bay Area to have all these colors woven in…there’s even part of a lightning bolt woven into the paint scheme."

Hidden behind the Florida Aquarium, the SS American Victory has been a staple in downtown Tampa for about 20 years.

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In 1945, it took just 55 days to build the SS American Victory ship. Back then, the United States War Shipping Administration was supporting the war effort with cargo ships and transports for the US World War II effort.

"It’s just a tremendous piece of history," Kuzmick said. "She was launched at the tail-end of WWII. She served in WWII, Korea and Vietnam. I have to tell everybody she still serves today because we do a lot of training with active-duty military police officers, firefighters, law enforcement of all types, working dogs, and maritime training, We do a lot throughout the community and it’s a walk back in history. You can explore the whole ship and put yourself back into your forefathers and your grandparents and what they may have seen and felt during WWII and beyond."

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There is a museum inside the ship, but the main artifact is the ship itself. Guests can explore exhibits throughout the boat to help understand its story.

The ship is docked in the Garrison Channel in the Port of Tampa behind the Florida Aquarium at 705 Channelside Drive.

LINK: Learn more about the SS American Victory at https://www.americanvictory.org/.