SS TRANSGLOBE Service
World War II Service
Following a three-week shakedown voyage commencing on July 5, 1944, SS TRANSGLOBE successfully completed seven convoys from East Coast ports, such as New York and Boston, to Southampton and Le Havre. The vessel impressively transported 13,524 GIs through the U-boat gauntlet. From April 12 to October 7, 1945, she was engaged in cross-channel “shuttle service” between Le Havre and Southampton.
In a commendatory letter from Headquarters, Southampton Port of Embarkation, SS TRANSGLOBE was lauded for having made 105 crossings, ten of which were conducted prior to V-E Day, when the threat from enemy submarines and mines was persistent. Overall, she transported 201,294 passengers, including troops, repatriated prisoners of war, reinforcements, and a significant number of casualties — a record unmatched by any other merchant vessel during WWII.
Following the war, the vessel operated briefly from West Coast ports to Hawaii and the Far East until August 5, 1946. A main turbine failure at sea brought her back to San Francisco, CA, where her career ended. She remained in layup until the Vietnam Conflict.
In a commendatory letter from Headquarters, Southampton Port of Embarkation, SS TRANSGLOBE was lauded for having made 105 crossings, ten of which were conducted prior to V-E Day, when the threat from enemy submarines and mines was persistent. Overall, she transported 201,294 passengers, including troops, repatriated prisoners of war, reinforcements, and a significant number of casualties — a record unmatched by any other merchant vessel during WWII.
Following the war, the vessel operated briefly from West Coast ports to Hawaii and the Far East until August 5, 1946. A main turbine failure at sea brought her back to San Francisco, CA, where her career ended. She remained in layup until the Vietnam Conflict.
Vietnam Service
In 1960, SS TRANSGLOBE was brought out of layup and sold to Globe Waterways Inc., a subsidiary of Hudson Waterways Inc./Seatrain Lines Group. She was converted at the Alabama Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Company into a Roll-On/Roll-Off vessel. On July 18, 1962, she embarked on a new chapter under government charter, transporting military cargo between the Brooklyn Army Base and Bremerhaven.
On February 12, 1966, SS TRANSGLOBE departed New York for Vietnam service. She was assigned to "shuttle service" between Naha, Da Nang, and Saigon, serving from 1966 to 1972. During this period, she amassed an unparalleled record of distinguished service, achieving the following:
On February 12, 1966, SS TRANSGLOBE departed New York for Vietnam service. She was assigned to "shuttle service" between Naha, Da Nang, and Saigon, serving from 1966 to 1972. During this period, she amassed an unparalleled record of distinguished service, achieving the following:
Most Decorated Vessel
On October 27, 1968, in a ceremony attended by Rear Admiral Rapp and other high-ranking military officials, Major General Horner presented the vessel’s master with a plaque depicting Four Battle Stars and the Purple Heart with Three Clusters, acknowledging service under fire on four occasions and the loss of a crew member.
Constant Presence in Saigon River
With a flak-jacketed crew, sandbagged bridge and engine room console, armed marines, swift boats, and helicopters, SS TRANSGLOBE was frequently targeted by the Viet Cong. She became the first vessel attacked by a new type of VC rocket, earning her the top spot on the VC's Most Wanted List.
A December 1968 article appearing in a publication of Master Mates & Pilots related that the TRANSGLOBE was not only “Top on the VCs Most Wanted List’” but the first vessel to be attacked with a new type of VC rocket adopted from a Soviet 122 mm rocket intended to disrupt shipping on the river known as the “Flying Trash Can.” News of this incident was reported in an Oct. 18, 1968 article appearing in Time Magazine entitled “Guarding the Gauntlet.”
Heroic Rescue
During an attack that resulted in the critical injury and subsequent death of a crew member, a daring helicopter rescue was performed from the vessel’s hydraulic stern cargo ramp while she continued navigating at dead slow speed.
Unmatched Service Record
Throughout her six years of continuous service, SS TRANSGLOBE was never off-hire and consistently met her schedules. Typically, she delivered upwards of 130 semitrailers, tanks, half-tracks, and other military vehicles to Saigon and Da Nang, returning fully loaded with damaged vehicles for repair.
Her record for cargo delivery was unsurpassed by any vessel in the Vietnam Conflict, just as her WWII record was unsurpassed for the number of troops, repatriated prisoners, and passengers carried.