USS Hope WW2 Facts

Source: Department of the Navy

She was a 680 bed hospital ship of the COMFORT class. HOPE commissioned August 14, 1944 and was the second hospital ship to be manned by a Navy crew and Army medical support team of approximately 500 medical support personnel.

HOPE sailed immediately for the South Pacific Theater of war. The Palaus, Manus, the Philippines, Okinawa -- name it, she was there.

The Most Attacked Hospital Ship in WWII

December 3, 1944 she was followed by a Japanese submarine and that afternoon was attacked by an enemy torpedo plane which fortunately missed HOPE. Three days later while steaming towards Manus, she was attacked again by aircraft. One bomb was close but no damage. During April and May she shuttled between Saipan and Okinawa. She was often attacked by suicide planes despite her distinctive markings, but was never hit. The Navy crew call her "The Lucky 7".

Brings Home the Sick and Wounded

After 3 voyages back and forth to San Francisco bringing back patients, HOPE (AH-7) was decommissioned May 9, 1946 and is in the Moth Ball Fleet in Suisun Bay.