SS Meredith Victory
SS Meredith Victory at sea
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| History | |
|---|---|
| United States | |
| Name: | SS Meredith Victory |
| Builder: | CalShip, Los Angeles, California |
| Laid down: | 1 May 1945 |
| Launched: | 23 June 1945 |
| Completed: | 24 July 1945 |
| Honors and awards: |
Gallant Ship Award *Korea Presidential Unit Citation * Meritorious Service Medal |
| Fate: | Broken up and scrapped in China 1993 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage: | 10,658 |
| Displacement: | 15200 tons (at 28-foot draft) |
| Length: | 455 feet (139 m) |
| Beam: | 62 feet (19 m) |
| Draft: | 28 feet (7.6 m) |
| Depth of hold: | 38 feet (11.5 m) |
| Speed: | 15 to 17 knots (28 to 31 km/h) |
| Capacity: | 59 total (35 crew members, 12 officers, and 12 passengers) |
| Armament: |
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| Notes: | |
The SS Meredith Victory was a United States Merchant Marine Victory ship, a type of cargo freighter built for World War II. Under the leadership of Captain Leonard LaRue, the Meredith Victory is credited with the largest humanitarian rescue operation by a single ship, evacuating more than 14,000 refugees in a single trip during the Korean War. The vessel has often been described as the "Ship of Miracles" as it was designed to carry only 12 passengers with a 47-person crew.
The SS Meredith Victory was named after Meredith College, a small women's college in North Carolina. The ship was built to transport supplies and equipment overseas during World War II. It was then deployed in the Korean War.
In December 1950, United Nations Command troops were retreating from northeast Korea after a massive assault by Chinese and North Korean forces. Over 100,000 UNC soldiers were to evacuate the city of Hungnam on 193 ships. Nearly the same number of civilians had also gathered at the port, hoping to board these vessels heading to safety in the southern port of Pusan. News of the evacuation had spread in the region and many refugees fleeing from the communists had lined up on the shores seeking rescue.
On December 21, Captain Leonard LaRue of the SS Meredith Victory made the decision to unload nearly all weapons and supplies from his ship in order to evacuate as many refugees as possible. Boarding went on from the afternoon of December 22 until the next morning. Using booms and makeshift elevators, the refugees filled the five cargo holds and the entire main deck. Although built to accommodate only 12 passengers, besides the crew and staff, the ship took aboard more than 14,000 Korean civilians fleeing the approaching Communists. The Meredith Victory departed shortly after 11 am on December 23 for Pusan, about 450 sea miles away, as gunfire from UNC ships and explosives destroyed the port in an "enemy-denial-operation" razing. The ship had no escort or means of self-defense.
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Wikipedia