Hospital Ship Hope

by Daniel L. Haulman

Operation Name:
Hospital Ship Hope
Location:
Guinea coast, west Africa
Date:
December 3, 1964
Emergency: The U.S. hospital ship Hope suffered a broken generator while on a medical mission to west Africa.
Organizations: 322d Air Division
Airlifted: One .7 ton generator.
Aircraft Used: C–130 (one)

In late 1964, the U.S. hospital ship Hope was cruising the western coast of Africa to provide medical care to local populations in underdeveloped areas. Early in December, as the ship anchored off the coast of Guinea, one of its generators broke down. News of the problem reached Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Curtis E. LeMay, who ordered the airlift of a replacement generator.

On December 3, a TAC C–130, on temporary rotation to Europe and serving the 322d Air Division, airlifted a 1,400-pound generator from Evreux-Fauville AB, France, to Conakry, Guinea. Workers transported the generator to the Hope so the ship could continue providing medical care to west Africans.

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