S.S. LaCrosse Victory Christening Bottle

This is the bottle used to christen the S.S. LaCrosse Victory in Baltimore, Maryland. The ship was created in Baltimore as part of the fleet built to assist in the war effort. The vessel was a Victory ship, as indicated by the presence of Victory in the ship's name. A Victory ship was a type of cargo ship used during World War II as a way of transporting supplies to the war front. They were used throughout World War II and continued to be used through the Vietnam war before being discontinued. The S.S. LaCrosse is just one example of a Victory ship. This specific vessel was christened by La Crosse local, Nellie Mae Cilley, who was chosen by the Navy Mothers Club No. 318 of La Crosse. She was picked because she was a Gold Star mother which signifies a parent who lost a child during the war. Nellie lost two of her sons in the war, but her third son survived.