In the sixties and seventies, when this hospital ship made its ports of call around the world, there were a lot of people genuinely happy to see us coming. During most of my childhood I would see mentions of the SS HOPE in the media and think, “How cool is that? Its great to be an American!”
In service as the USS Consolation Navy hospital ship from 1945 to 1960, she was re-chartered as the SS HOPE under the auspices of President Eisenhower’s People to People Program. Through 1974 with the help of some 3,000 volunteer medical staff, she completed eleven voyages to Indonesia, South Vietnam, Peru, Ecuador, Guinea, Nicaragua, Colombia, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Jamaica, and Brazil. Countless people were served. In 1975 the ship was de-commissioned and scrapped.
As important as the medical care given, she delivered good will in a way that stirred hearts… a hospital ship serving the neediest places in the world, compliments of the people of the United States of America. It just doesn’t get any better. Project Hope continues its mission, providing medical care and training around the world, but is now a land based operation. I would love to see a new SS HOPE.
And so is life a project of hope.
Gordon Bunker
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