Ship AMERICAN VICTORY Final Voyage on the Welland Canal

The AMERICAN VICTORY is seen downbound at Lock 7 on the Welland Canal, June 23, 2018, under her scrap-tow name "Victo", on her final passage through the canal. The ship is on the way to Turkey to be scrapped. Between Port Colborne and Lock 7, the lead tow tug was TIM MCKEIL, and the brake tug was EVANS MCKEIL, with the tug VAC accompanying.
After stopping along the east wall above Lock 7, the larger TIM MCKEIL disengaged from the tow, and carried on downbound in the Flight Locks, to wait for the tow team later below Lock 4. To tow AMERICAN VICTORY through the locks, EVANS MCKEIL took the lead, and VAC acted as the brake tug.
It's interesting to note that the workhorse tug VAC (built in 1942) is the same age as American Victory!!
Originally named Marquette when built, this ship - then a tanker - was transferred to the USN as the Neshanic (AO 71) for service in WW2. It was sold in 1947, renamed as Gulfoil. After a major wreck in 1958, the ship was rebuilt and converted for Great Lakes service as Pioneer Challenger; later renamed Middletown in 1962, and then American Victory in 2006.
Also, the tug EVANS McKEIL was built in 1936 in Panama, originally named "Alhajuela, and was used during the construction of the Panama Canal! Update: Evans McKeil was scrapped in early 2023.