# Unidentified Floating Objects.



## unsteadyken (Feb 14, 2005)

I'm not sure if I'm in the right forum but here goes.

Asking for help on behalf of a member of the newsgroup uk.people.silversurfers who is an ex RN RT, is allergic to web forums has been trying to identify the two ships shown on some old family photos. 
http://john-the-r-t.110mb.com/misc/html/ships.html

The only information he can provide is...

"The hospital ship could have been taken by me in Hong Kong in 1950.
Could even have been taken by dad a lot earlier. Pre October 1942."

Can anybody help? Tabnabs on me if you can.
I did try to persuade him to join SN, but he is a text only man


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## Santos (Mar 16, 2005)

I would suggest that the warship is the USS Rochester, a 13,700-ton Oregon City class heavy cruiser, she was built at Quincy, Massachusetts. Commissioned in December 1946, she performed her first three years' service in the Atlantic, making one deployment to the Mediterranean in 1948. Early in 1950, Rochester shifted to the Pacific, and was soon sent to the Far East to become Seventh Fleet flagship. She served there until January 1951, taking an active part in Korean War operations and the Formosa Straits patrol.

Rochester made two more Korean War combat tours during 1951-53. She was then modernized, receiving new anti-aircraft guns and other equipment. The rest of the 1950s saw her return to the Far East for five more Seventh Fleet deployments. Rochester's ninth, and final, Western Pacific cruise took place in April-October 1960. She was decommissioned in August 1961 and spent the next dozen years in reserve at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. USS Rochester was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register in October 1973 and was subsequently sold for scrapping.

The hospital ship has me stumped I am afraid.

Chris.


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## Arden4 (Sep 10, 2005)

I believe the hospital ship is HMHS Maine (ex Empire Clyde).
She was the second hospital ship of that name and was involved in the Korean war.


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## unsteadyken (Feb 14, 2005)

Thanks lads, that was bloody impressive. The combined brainpower of SN blew those UFO's out of the water with just two quick salvos. Well done!

I'll get started on the tabnabs. My slightly singed rock cakes always went down well on the Hinnites, will that do you?

Ken.


From John:

I've lurked!

Please thank Santos and Arden4.

Dad died in October 1942 so the pic is possibly mine.
Quote from Wikipedia

Rochester’s guns provided support for the troops that landed at Inchon
on 13 September in the operation that prompted General MacArthur’s
proud signal that "the Navy and Marines have never shown more brightly
than this morning."

At the time I was a Boy Signalman aboard HMS Belfast.


HMHS Maine it is. The picture is
mine. Taken during 1950 when the Korean war started.


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## Jolly Roger (Aug 30, 2009)

*HMHS Maine*

Couldn't quite understand your message, because when I accessed the photo link, all I could see were three pix of US warships and an LCT, certainly no hospital ship.
The mention of the Maine, however, *****ed up my ears.
She was not the 2nd of that name, but the 4th.
The 1st, of course, was the ship acquired by Jenny Churchill, the mother of Winston, which she converted to a hospital ship and took down to South Africa during the Boer War.
The 2nd, was converted to a hospital ship, but didn't quite suit that purpose, so she was returned to the previous owners.
The 3rd served the longest, including right through WWII, until she was regarded as long past her prime.
The 4th and last was launched as the Leonardo da Vinci, an Italian liner in pre-war days, until she was commandeered by the Italian government to serve during the war. She was captured at Kismayu in 1942 by British troops during the campaign in Somaliland, renamed Empire Clyde and used as an British Army hospital ship. Bought by the RFA, she was converted to a modern hospital ship and by 1948 was in service in the Med out of Malta.
Then came the Korean War, and she was transferred to the Far Eastern Fleet, arriving there in June 1950. I was there at the time onboard a UK support tanker, though I do not remember seeing her then.
Later, I transferred out to the Far East in 1951 to join her, serving on board for almost three years from October 1951 until her demise at a Hong Kong scrapyard in mid-1954. a sad ending for a wonderful old lady.
She did sterling work during the Korean War, and I believe she is the only hospital ship to have been awarded Battle Honours.
I was the last of her crew to leave, and I remember that in the days that followed I would look across HK harbour to the scrapyard where I saw her being broken apart until I could see her no more. A sad ending for a gallant old lady.
I'd certainly like to see your photo of her!


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## tugtere (Dec 6, 2007)

LST1089--USS Rice County--542 class. one of the last launched 1945 at Ambridge prior to end of WW2. Served in Pacific fleet, Pearl Harbour. Served in Korea-earned 4 battle stars. Transfered to West Germany 1960, still in service thru 1970's as minelayer Bochum N120. 1972 to Turkey as Sancaktar N121. This ship was still the same basicly as LST 1, some minor changes to accommodation. One of 1050 built in 3years. regards Ray


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