SS Tuskegee Victory was a Victory ship laid down on 16 February 1945 and delivered to the Maritime Commission on 8 May 1945. After seven years of commercial service, she was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet in 1952. Five years later she was acquired by the U.S. Navy, renamed Dutton, and converted to a Bowditch class oceanographic survey ship (AGS) at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard from 8 November 1957 to 16 November 1958.