In the Spring of 1963 the Red Cross came to U.S.Lines to assist in moving medical supplies from mainland U.S.A. to Havana, Cuba. This was post-Bay of Pigs and Castro was willing to release approx. 1400 civilians in return for the medical supplies. Our vessel S.S. AMERICAN SURVEYOR made two round trips and the Captain wrote of his experience thirty years later. The Swiss consul was our liaison and extremely helpful. The crew was permitted to go ashore but only under escort. They had armed guards on all the hatches who accompanied the pilot upon departure. We had cots in all five tween decks and while the trip to Port Everglades, Florida was a short one it was a rough passage with the Gulf stream against the wind. The ship pitched and the cots were upset and the nurses had their hands full. In all we took in approx. 8000 Tons of Red Cross material and brought out approx. 1400 refugees and a dozen dogs. After two round trips we had to get the ship cleaned up and the Red Cross removed their coffee urns and portable toilets. It was a tense and difficult time for all concerned.
tjs
Next - Shipboard Entertaining
What a great story. I wonder if you had any "Peter Panners" on board... It's exciting to see images with your posts. You're getting pretty high tech!
ReplyDeleteLol!
I was a passenger on one of those voyages along with my parents and older sister. My Mom told us the story of how rough the seas were on that journey. I wonder of there is a passenger manifest somewhere.
ReplyDeleteThe web site PedroPan.org is the official site for Operation PedroPan Group Inc. - they may be able to assist locating some of those voyagers. The Swiss consulate was the liaison for our voyages who may have info. If I obtain any info from Port Everglades I will publish it. tjs
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