S.S. Medina Victory

Medina's World War II War Bond Headquarters

Medina County contributed so much to the war effort during World War II. The newspapers of the time are filled with information on tire drives, paper drives, metal drives. The War Bond building where Medinians donated more that their fair share, still stands, having been moved to a lot to the west of the Medina Hospital.

The young men and women of Medina enlisted to fight the country's enemies, whether it was behind a cannon, a rifle, a medical mask or a typewriter.

Everyone had a Victory Garden and the library had a Victory drive in order for Medina's citizens to donate books to be sent overseas.

And Medina had a United States Victory Class Ship named after it.

WHAT?

The S.S. Victory Medina was built toward the end of World War II and was launched on 10 February 1945.

What is a Victory Ship?

According to Wikipedia, Victory Ships were:

"The Victory ship was a class of cargo ship produced in large numbers by North American shipyards during World War II to replace losses caused by German submarines." They were larger and faster than the previously built Liberty ships.

A Victory Class Cargo ship

A cross section view showing the layout of the ship.

The first 33 of the Victory ships were named for members of the United Nations. The other 500 ships were named after U.S. towns and cities, and colleges and universities. Each state would only have two town names used. The towns had to represent the historic nature of the area. The S.S. Bucyrus Victory, the first Ohio ship to be named after an Ohio town, was launched in January 1945.

How did little ol' Medina get a ship named after it?

In early 1944, local businessman, Frank E. Judkins, was on a business trip out west and met up with Mr. John Carmody of the U.S. Maritime Commission. After chatting awhile and extolling the virtues of his hometown, Mr. Judkins asked how to get a ship named after "Medina". He was told to submit a petition. When he arrived back in Medina, he obtained the signatures of nearly 200 Medina Legion members, business men, and various civic club members. He submitted the request in April.

Weeks and months went by with no word. Judkins kept the pressure on with multiple letters inquiring the status of the request. Finally, in December of 1944, the Medina Chamber of Commerce received notification that a Victory Ship was being built at the Permante shipyards in Richmond California that would be named the "SS Medina Victory." It was to be launched on February 7, 1945. Frank was invited to the launch, but when it was delayed he was unable to attend.

Medina Gazette 22 Dec 1944, page 1

The Maritime Commission requested that the city send a woman the help launch the ship.

As the city would have to pay her expenses to travel to California, the Chamber decided to request that Mrs. Chaffee do the honors. Mrs. Chaffee's mother, Mrs. W.S. Thorpe, was still living in Medina. Mrs. Chaffee had accompanied her husband, Navy Lieutenant Almerin Chaffee when he was stationed to Oakland, California. So she was very near the Redmond shipyards.

Medina Gazette  26 December 1944, page 1.

On February 10, 1945, the S.S. Medina Victory was launched.

Mrs. Chaffee receiving a bouquet from flower girl,
Janet Eggleston
Scrapbook of Launch of S.S. Medina Victory

Mrs. Chaffee christening the S.S. Medina
Scrapbook of Launch of S.S. Medina Victory

The S.S. Medina going down the slipway
Scrapbook of Launch of S.S. Medina Victory

The S.S. Medina Victory is launched!
Scrapbook of Launch of S.S. Medina Victory

Her first voyage took her from San Pedro California, to Melbourne, Australia, to Calcutta, India, Ceylon, Mozambique, Durban and then to Philadelphia, PA. After this one voyage as a cargo ship, the War Shipping Administration decided to convert her to a troop transport ship.

Again from Wikipedia:

"Many Victory ships were converted to troopships to bring US soldiers home at the end of World War II. A total of 97 Victory ships were converted to carry up to 1,600 soldiers. To convert the ships the cargo hold were converted to bunk beds and hammocks stacked three high. Mess halls and exercise places were also added."

When this conversion was complete, the S.S. Medina Victory was loaned to the British. She sailed from New York in October 1945 for the Mediterranean where she ferried troops between  the Middle East and Toulon, France.


In 1948, the ship was purchased by the Donaldson Line and was turned into a passenger/freighter ship and was renamed the Laurentia. The ship was in operation until 1966 and was scrapped in '67.

S.S. Laurentia, previously named the S.S. Medina Victory

Do not confuse the S.S. Medina Victory with the S.S. Medina, a freighter built in 1914 and named for the river in Texas. That ship was once part of the U.S. Coast Guard, but spent most of her time as a cruise liner. At one time, she was a floating book shop and now is being converted into a luxury hotel.

S.S. Medina, built in 1914.

SOURCES:

The Atlantic Liners 1925-70 by Frederick Emmons
Donaldson Line Laurentia
National Park Service
Scrapbook of the launch of the S.S. Medina, donated to the Medina Library by Franz Zrilich, 1994.
Western Ocean Passenger Lines and Liners 1934-1969 by Commander C.R. Vernon Gibbs.
Wikipedia S.S. Bucyrus
Wikipedia Medina/Doulos Phos
Wikipedia Victory Ships
2 page letter detailing the application process, authenticated by F.E. Judkins.