Title:
SS Manhattan Goes to War
Author:
Carol W. Kimball
Subjects:
SS Manhattan
World War II
World War II
Object ID:
Kim11-009
Object Name:
Scrapbook
Category:
8: Communication Artifact
Subcategory:
Documentary Artifact
Publisher:
The Day
Publication Place:
New London, CT
Pubication Date:
11/27/2006
Collection:
Carol W. Kimball
Summary:
When the sleek ocean liner Manhatten, built by New York Shipbuilding Co. at Camden, N.J., made its maiden voyage from New York to Europe in August 1932, it earned the title of the fastest passenger ship in the world. Who knew the luxury liner was destined to be tested in the flames of World War II where it was given a new name, the U.S.S. Wakefield, AP-21. It was comissioned in June of 1941, and became a troop transport with a capacity of 6,000. Destroyed by a fire in 1942, the ship was towed to Halifax, Nova Scotia, and then to the Boston Navy Yard and declared a total loss. But desperate for vessels, the government rebuilt the ship from the waterline up and a new Wakefield emerged as a troop transport recommissioned 2/10/1944 at Boston. It made so many trips to Liverpool its crew called it "the Boston and Liverpool Ferry". The Wakefield was used to evacuate casualties after D-Day. The Wakefield was decommissioned June 16, 1946. The gallant vessel was sold for scrap in 1965.
People:
Hitler, Adolf
Search Terms:
SS Manhattan
World War II
New York Shipbuilding Co.
U.S.S. Wakefield, AP-21
luxury liner
troop transport
World War II
New York Shipbuilding Co.
U.S.S. Wakefield, AP-21
luxury liner
troop transport