SS Meredith Victory
The SS Meredith Victory was a Victory-class cargo ship of the United States Merchant Marine, constructed in 1945 for transporting supplies during World War II and later renowned for its role in the largest single-ship evacuation in history.[1][2] Under Captain Leonard LaRue, the vessel departed the North Korean port of Hungnam on December 23, 1950, amid the withdrawal of United Nations forces during the Korean War's Hungnam Evacuation Operation, carrying approximately 14,000 civilian refugees—over 1,000 times its intended passenger capacity of 12—without a single loss of life despite severe overcrowding and rough seas.[1][3][4] The ship arrived in Pusan, South Korea, on Christmas Eve, where five infants had been born during the three-day voyage, earning it the moniker "Ship of Miracles" for this extraordinary humanitarian feat.[1][5] Built by the New England Shipbuilding Corporation in Portland, Maine, and named after Meredith College in North Carolina, the Meredith Victory measured 455 feet in length and was designed primarily for cargo rather than passenger transport.[1] Originally operated by American President Lines during wartime logistics, it transitioned post-war to commercial service before being chartered for Korean War support, highlighting the adaptability of these mass-produced vessels in both military supply chains and emergency responses.[1] The Hungnam mission exemplified the ship's defining achievement: amid the chaotic retreat from Chinese Communist offensives that threatened to overrun UN positions, it loaded refugees hastily via makeshift methods, including lowering people from tank landing ships attached to its side, demonstrating exceptional seamanship and crew resolve under Captain LaRue's command.[3] The operation's success, recognized by Guinness World Records as the greatest rescue at sea by a single ship, underscored the Merchant Marine's critical yet often underappreciated contributions to 20th-century conflicts, with no reported controversies surrounding the event itself, only commendations for its life-saving impact on refugees fleeing communist advances.[2][6] Post-mission, the Meredith Victory received the U.S. Gallant Ship Award and continued service until scrapped in 1990s, its legacy preserved through memorials like the Geoje-Hungnam Retreat Memorial Tower in South Korea.[1][7]Design and Construction
Technical Specifications
The SS Meredith Victory was a VC2-S-AP2-class Victory ship, a type of cargo vessel designed by the U.S. Maritime Commission for wartime merchant service with improved speed and capacity over Liberty ships.[8] These ships featured a length overall of 455 feet 3 inches (138.7 m), a beam of 62 feet (18.9 m), and a draft of 28 feet 6 inches (8.7 m) at full load.[2] Her gross register tonnage was approximately 7,613 tons, with a deadweight tonnage of around 10,650 tons and a full-load displacement of 15,200 tons.[9] Propulsion was provided by two oil-fired Babcock & Wilcox boilers feeding steam to a cross-compound turbine engine rated at 6,000 shaft horsepower, driving a single screw propeller for a service speed of 15 to 17 knots.[8] The vessel included five cargo holds configured for general freight, with limited passenger accommodations of 12 berths for a nominal crew of 47 to 52 merchant mariners.[2] Armament during wartime consisted typically of one 5-inch/38-caliber dual-purpose gun, one 3-inch/50-caliber gun, and eight 20 mm anti-aircraft guns, though specifics for Meredith Victory post-World War II are not detailed in primary records.[10]| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Length overall | 455 ft 3 in (138.7 m) |
| Beam | 62 ft (18.9 m) |
| Draft (full load) | 28 ft 6 in (8.7 m) |
| Gross tonnage | 7,613 GRT |
| Deadweight tonnage | 10,650 tons |
| Displacement (full) | 15,200 tons |
| Propulsion | Steam turbine, 6,000 shp |
| Speed | 15–17 knots |
| Cargo holds | 5 (general cargo) |