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»	Cruise Talk » Ocean Liners and Classic Cruise Ships » Hospital ships????

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Topic: Hospital ships????

titanicsteve
First Class Passenger
Member # 2142

posted 09-16-2001 02:23 PM

Hello I was wondering earlier if there was a war between USA and the far East (hopefully not!!!!) would many cruise ships be taken and turned into hospital ships!?

Since I did history I know this could happen but what would the likely ships be? Older ones? Or the new ones? ******SORRY TO ANYONE IF THIS QUESTION CAUSES OFFENCE!!!*******

Posts: 510 | From: Ireland (near Titanic birthplace!!) | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

Aris
First Class Passenger
Member # 1718

posted 09-16-2001 03:01 PM

Don't forget that the US Navy already has two large hospital ships named Comfort and Mercy and which are converted tankers.
If the US will need to operate more hospital ships then they will propable take over US-flaged vessels and that limits the choice to a few cruiseships: Patriot, Independence and of course the Big U.

Posts: 82 | From: Athens, Greece | Registered: Dec 2000 | IP: Logged

colt
First Class Passenger
Member # 1215

posted 09-16-2001 05:24 PM

Wasn't the QE2 turned into a troop carrier during the Falklands War?

Posts: 293 | From: Lisbon, Maryland, USA | Registered: Apr 2000 | IP: Logged

Jekyll
First Class Passenger
Member # 1878

posted 09-16-2001 08:23 PM

Colt:

Yes - during the Falklands both QE2 and Canberra were turned into troopships. The hospital ship was BI Discovery Lines' (an educational subsidiary of P&O) ship the Uganda.

Help me out here - but I remember during the Gulf War that the Cunard Princess was used as either a troop- or hospital- ship. Canyone remember any others?

Posts: 1524 | From: Nowhere | Registered: Mar 2001 | IP: Logged

Colin
First Class Passenger
Member # 1676

posted 09-17-2001 04:59 AM

Hi, The Princess was used as an R&R facility. Colin.

Posts: 283 | From: Inverness, Scotland | Registered: Nov 2000 | IP: Logged

Jekyll
First Class Passenger
Member # 1878

posted 09-17-2001 09:33 AM

Colin:

Thanks...I knew she was used for something - but w/ that being so long ago couldn't remember what. Always appreciate getting the facts straight!

Posts: 1524 | From: Nowhere | Registered: Mar 2001 | IP: Logged

Pollysmom
First Class Passenger
Member # 2376

posted 09-17-2001 12:16 PM

Mind you, I am not old enough to remember this but, I do remember reading about this.
Whatever ships are in the ports of a country can be 'taken/chosen' to be used by that country during war time.
I believe that during WWII, the UK/Winston Churchill, even sent the Queen Mary to New York so that it would not be in British waters and it could be used as a 'troop ship'. Of course, that was when all the troops traveled by ship.

I suppose that if necessary, the same could be done with whatever ship that was in one of our harbors. Not as a troop ship but used for something. For instance, military houseing, hospital ship, or something similar.

This could be wrong; but I don't think that I am that far off.

Posts: 21 | From: New England | Registered: Sep 2001 | IP: Logged

titanicsteve
First Class Passenger
Member # 2142

posted 09-17-2001 01:34 PM

I think it would be a bit of a shame to rip apart some of the beautiful ships we have now! Especially Celebrity ships which I think are amazing inside and out! Maybe some countries have got their act together and built ships of their own! It makes sense to be properly equiped!!

Posts: 510 | From: Ireland (near Titanic birthplace!!) | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

Cunardcoll
First Class Passenger
Member # 1226

posted 09-17-2001 03:38 PM

I think if there would be a war , and the US need Hospital ships , they would take fast ships like QE2 , US , Carnival ships , at leats ships that can run 25 knots , QE2 of course can run 35 KNOTS and QM2 will be able to run up to 36 KNOTS.

Posts: 947 | From: Belgium | Registered: Apr 2000 | IP: Logged

desirod7
First Class Passenger
Member # 1626

posted 09-17-2001 04:57 PM

The SS United States was designed as hybrid ocean liner-troop transport. She is built to military specs, goes 44 knots, has, helipads, transverse and horizontal bulkheads. An Andrea Doria or Titanic type collision would not neccessarily sink her, nor a single torpedo.

This is the time to restore and re-deploy her.

The Norway with her outer props and front engine room re-activated can go 35 knots.
Her sheer capacity and great stability would make her a good hospital ship.

quote:
Originally posted by Cunardcoll:
I think if there would be a war , and the US need Hospital ships , they would take fast ships like QE2 , US , Carnival ships , at leats ships that can run 25 knots , QE2 of course can run 35 KNOTS and QM2 will be able to run up to 36 KNOTS.

Posts: 5727 | From: Philadelphia, Pa [home of the SS United States] | Registered: Oct 2000 | IP: Logged

Frank X. Prudent
First Class Passenger
Member # 1723

posted 09-18-2001 10:48 PM

Although she was not a hospital ship per se during WWII, the DELTA QUEEN and her sister DELTA KING were taken over by the U.S.Navy and operated as YFB-56 and YFB-55 respectively. They certainly did help to transport wounded soldiers and sailors around San Francisco Bay as part of their war time service. At times the Navy was known to load over three thousand souls at a time on to the battleship grey paddlewheelers. After the war was over the two boats also played a part in Operation Flying Carpet to get the troops home.

It was after the war that Captain Tom Greene, president of Cincinnati, Ohio based Greene Line Steamers, Inc., purchased the DELTA QUEEN from the U.S. Maritime Commission for her current use on the Mississippi River System.

Posts: 577 | From: Covington, Kentucky, U.S.A. | Registered: Dec 2000 | IP: Logged

titanicsteve
First Class Passenger
Member # 2142

posted 09-19-2001 12:59 PM

Is true that the British have taken the QE2 of Cunard???!! I hope no!!! Please tell me!!

Posts: 510 | From: Ireland (near Titanic birthplace!!) | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

Amerikanis
First Class Passenger
Member # 1835

posted 09-19-2001 02:04 PM

That may be, British President comes today to Germany to discuss the Situation.

Our Parliament votes today for Action, including sharing an War.

Only the Communist Party (PDS) was against this.

Posts: 1034 | From: Gutach, Black Forest, Germany | Registered: Mar 2001 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 09-19-2001 04:43 PM

quote:
Originally posted by titanicsteve:
I think it would be a bit of a shame to rip apart some of the beautiful ships we have now!

You can't get much more beautiful than the Queen Mary's interiors, in my opinion and of course she was a great troop ship, as was the Queen Elizabeth.

The QM holds the record for the largest number of passengers to be carried on a single ship. In 1943 she departed for NY with 15,740 troops onboard (an entire division)plus 943 crew, giving a total of 16,683 people.

In 1982 the QE2 was converted into a troop ship within 8 days. Hardboard was used to protect carpets and wall coverings, furniture was removed and mess tables and bunk beds etc. were added. Three helicopted pads replaced lounges/pools. She carried 4000 troops to the Falkland's crisis.

The Canberra was also used, but unlike the QE2 she was taken into the inclusion zone and exposed to enemy fire.

Many of today's ships do not opperate at high speeds or have a good Ocean going hulls - I wonder how suitable they would be for troop transport?

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

Frank X. Prudent
First Class Passenger
Member # 1723

posted 09-19-2001 06:08 PM

quote:
Originally posted by titanicsteve:
Is true that the British have taken the QE2 of Cunard???!!

I really doubt if that is true. First of all Cunard is now owned by a passenger shipping company with Panamanian incorporation that is based in the U.S., and not a British conglomerate as Trafalgar House was during the Falkland Crisis. Secondly, the terrorist countries that are most in the news currently are not coastal countries; what use can the QE2 be in routing out the terrorist. Finally I don't think anybody but the powers that be know how this "war" will be fought, and maybe they aren't even sure yet!

God bless America, and may God save the Queen!

[ 09-19-2001: Message edited by: Frank X. Prudent ]

Posts: 577 | From: Covington, Kentucky, U.S.A. | Registered: Dec 2000 | IP: Logged

Green
First Class Passenger
Member # 171

posted 09-19-2001 10:25 PM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Amerikanis:
[QB]That may be, British President comes today to Germany to discuss the Situation.

I must protest - the UK, like Canada. has a Prime Minister - not a President

Posts: 2913 | From: Markham, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

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