RMS Queen Mary - Long Beach, California
N 33° 45.133 W 118° 11.346
11S E 389868 N 3735317
The Queen Mary, eventually joined by the Queen Elizabeth, were the largest and fastest troopships involved in the war, often carrying as many as 15,000 men in a single voyage, and often travelling out of convoy and without escort.
Waymark Code: WM44FM
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 07/05/2008
Published By:
C4A
Views: 88
From Wikipedia -
[At the beginning of World War II,] The Queen Mary left New York for Sydney, where she, along with several other liners, was converted into a troopship to carry Australian and New Zealand soldiers to the United Kingdom. Eventually joined by the Queen Elizabeth, they were the largest and fastest troopships involved in the war, often carrying as many as 15,000 men in a single voyage, and often travelling out of convoy and without escort. During this period, because of their wartime grey camouflage livery and elusiveness, both Queens received the nickname "The Grey Ghost". Their high speed meant that it was virtually impossible for U-Boats to catch them. Once, Germany was nearly successful; whilst the Queen Mary was in South American waters, a radio signal was intercepted which indicated that spies had reported her last refueling stop and a U-Boat was waiting on her line of voyage. After being alerted, the Queen Mary changed course and escaped.
In December 1942, the Queen Mary was carrying exactly 16,082 American troops from New York to Great Britain, a standing record for the most passengers ever transported on one vessel. While 700 miles from Scotland during a gale, she was suddenly hit broadside by a rogue wave that may have reached a height of 28 meters (92 ft). An account of this crossing can be found in Walter Ford Carter's book, No Greater Sacrifice, No Greater Love. Carter's father, Dr. Norval Carter, part of the 110th Station Hospital on board at the time, wrote that at one point the Queen Mary "damned near capsized... One moment the top deck was at its usual height and then, swoom! Down, over, and forward she would pitch." The incident inspired Paul Gallico to write his story, The Poseidon Adventure, which was later made into a film by the same name, using the Queen Mary as a stand-in for the SS Poseidon.
Type of vessel: Troopship, November 26, 1934
Hours of use: From: 10:00 AM To: 6:00 PM
Admission? Cost?: Adults - $24.95
Date: 07/05/2008
Parking Coordinates: Not Listed
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