View source for SGT MORRIS E CRAIN T-AK 244

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<h3>Ship Name and Designation History</h3>
This section lists the names and designations that the ship had during 
its lifetime.
The list is in chronological order.
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Boulder Victory Class Cargo Ship<br/> 
Keel Laid February 14 1945 as "SS Mills Victory"<br/> 
Launched March 28 1945<br/><br/>
<li>'''SS MILLS VICTORY''' (U.S. Victory Ship)</li>
Delivered to the WSA April 21 1945<br/><br/> 
<li>'''USAT SGT. MORRIS E. CRAIN'''</li>
Acquired by the USAT and commissioned (date unknown)<br/> 
Decommissioned by the US Army February 1950<br/><br/>
<li>'''USNS SGT. MORRIS E. CRAIN T-AK-244'''</li>
Acquired by the US Navy February 1950 and Placed in Service<br/>
Placed out of Service (date unknown)<br/><br/> 
Struck from the Naval Register April 1 1975<br/> 
Custody transferred to MARAD, 17 July 1975<br/>
Fate unknown
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[[Image:SgtMorrisECrain_TAK244_Photo.jpg|thumb|center|125px]]
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<h3>Naval Covers</h3>
This section lists active links to the pages displaying covers associated with the 
ship. There should be a separate set of pages for each name of the ship (for 
example, Bushnell AG-32 / Sumner AGS-5 are different names for the same 
ship so there should be one set of pages for Bushnell and one set for Sumner). 
Covers should be presented in chronological order (or as best as can be determined).

Since a ship may have many covers, they may be split among many pages so it doesn't 
take forever for the pages to load. Each page link should be accompanied by a date 
range for covers on that page.
<ol>
<li><!-- [[PAGE_NAME_Covers_Page_1 | --> Covers Page 1 <!-- ]] -->&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1964-65)</li>
</ol>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h3>Postmarks</h3>
This section lists examples of the postmarks used by the ship. There should be a 
separate set of postmarks for each name and/or commissioning period. Within each set, 
the postmarks should be listed in order of their classification type. If more than one 
postmark has the same classification, then they should be further sorted by date of 
earliest known usage.

A postmark should not be included unless accompanied by a close-up image and/or an 
image of a cover showing that postmark. Date ranges MUST be based ONLY ON COVERS IN 
THE MUSEUM and are expected to change as more covers are added.
<br/>&nbsp;<br/>
>>> If you have a better example for any of the postmarks, please feel free to replace the
existing example.
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Postmark Type<br/>---<br/>Killer Bar Text
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Date From<br/>to<br/>Date To</th>
<th align="center" width="320">Thumbnail Link To<br/>Postmark Image</th>
<th align="center" width="120">Thumbnail Link To<br/>Cover Image</th>
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Locy Type 2<br/><br/>[[HOLDER_DD_819_ | USS Holder<br/>DD-819]]
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1964-10-17
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[[Image:GregCiesielski_SgtMorrisECrain_TAK244_19641017_1_Front.jpg|thumb|center|300px]]
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N/A
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Welcome to Norfolk, cachet by [[Cachet_Maker_Tazewell_G_Nicholson_ | Tazewell G. Nicholson]]
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Army/Air Force/<br/>Postal Service/APO 23/<br/>Machine Cancel
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1965-07-12
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[[Image:GregCiesielski_SgtMorrisECrain_TAK244_19650712_1_Front.jpg|thumb|center|300px]]
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N/A
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1965 Arctic Operations cachet.
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<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Other Information</h3>
USNS SGT. MORRIS E. CRAIN T-AK-244 earned the National Defense Service Medal during her Naval career.<br/><br/>
'''NAMESAKE''' - Technical Sergeant Morris E. Crain, USA (October 7 1924 – March 13 1945) <br/>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Morris E. Crain was born in Bandana, Ky., and entered the United States Army at Paducah. On 13 March 1945 at Haguenau, France, Technical Sergeant Crain led his platoon against powerful German forces during the struggle to enlarge the Moder River bridgehead. He aggressively spearheaded the platoon in securing its objective near an important road junction. Although heavy concentrations of artillery and mortar fire raked the area, he moved among his men during the day, exhorting them to greater efforts and encouraging them to stand firm. Sergeant Crain carried ammunition and maintained contact with the company command post, exposing himself to additional enemy fire.<br/>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
At nightfall, the enemy barrage became more intense and tanks and grenade-throwing foot troops entered the fray. As buildings were blasted by the enemy, the Americans fell back from house to house. Sergeant Crain rushed under fire to the foremost house, which was being defended by five of his men. With the enemy attacking from an adjoining room and a tank firing point-blank at the house, Sergeant Grain ordered his men to withdraw while he remained, inflicting casualties with his accurate submachine gun bursts. Sergeant Crain was killed when the building was destroyed by enemy fire.<br/>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
For his outstanding valor and intrepid leadership which enabled his platoon to organize a new defense, repel the attack, and preserve the hard-won bridgehead, Sergeant Crain was posthumously awarded the '''Medal of Honor'''.
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<p>&nbsp;</p>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>
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