12/07/2023
Pearl Harbor Day 2023 - USS Solace: The Little Ship That Did
I think it’s safe to say most of us have heard the story of ‘The Little Engine That Could.’ It’s a tale about a small steam locomotive train engine with identity issues, who was intimidated by the environment it was in and when faced with an all-but overwhelming situation in the form of tremendous mountains and a very steep set of tracks, had to encourage itself with the words, “I think I can,” and “I know I can.” Did you know there was a little ship that found itself in a maelstrom of catastrophe and destruction on December 7th and its crew performed what could be termed a heaven-sent miracle? Well, there was! The ship names of the vessels moored on Battleship Row – especially USS Arizona are etched into the pages of history; however, few know of the USS Solace.
The Hospital Ship USS Solace (AH-5) was built in 1927 and began life as the passenger ship SS Iroquois, after being built by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newport News, Virginia. The liner was acquired by the Navy from the Clyde Mallory Steamship Line on 22 July 1940, who renamed it USS Solace and was converted into a hospital ship at the Atlantic Basin Iron Works, Brooklyn, NY. It was transferred from the Atlantic Fleet to the Pacific in early 1941 and the Navy then chartered the ship to the Los Angeles Steamship Company, to fill a gap left by the sinking of one of their ferries. By late summer, the vessel was ordered to Pearl Harbor and by November it was anchored close to USS Arizona and Nevada. Like a skinny, bespectacled nerd being seated next to a group of massively built varsity football players, the little white ship that was half the size and less than a quarter of the weight than the battleships, along with red crosses painted on it seemed out of place as it rode at anchor, compared to the huge warships moored nearby, along Ford Island. It served as a floating dispensary and dental clinic for the sailors of the Pacific Fleet.
At 0755 on that fateful Sunday, a group of physicians eating breakfast in the wardroom of the Solace were startled when several explosions were heard. As the ship began to vibrate the impression that an earthquake had hit soon shifted to thoughts of Navy planes engaged in target practice. Once the sounds of gunfire and additional explosions were heard it was clear something was very wrong. One of the doctors later recalled, “We went out on deck and could scarcely believe our eyes. We saw Japanese torpedo and bombing planes headed straight for the battleships and for the Naval Air Station on Ford Island. . . We saw the Arizona burning, and two or three of the other battleships listing badly. Japanese planes were flying all around and dropping bombs everywhere.”
Amid the pandemonium, the crew of the Hospital ship leapt into action and began to prepare the ship for receiving the wounded. By 8:15 am – less than half an hour into the surprise attack – hospital corpsmen-led rescue parties loaded onto small boats to render assistance and pick up personnel from damaged ships as the bombs continued to fall. Corpsmen on one motor launch even steamed to the wreckage of the Arizona braving the unbearable heat of that inferno to retrieve several wounded sailors.
At 8:20 am, the Solace received its first casualties. Each casualty was tagged on the quarterdeck, given morphine, and then sent to various wards for treatment. Casualties included shrapnel and machinegun wounds, lacerations, and compound fractures. More than 70 percent of the casualties suffered from first- and second-degree burns. And all the patients suffered from shock. For burn patients, tannic acid was applied to exposed areas and plasma given. Those with severe wounds and compound fractures were sent to the operating rooms. A total of 141 casualties were received and treated aboard the ship during the attack. Throughout the day medical personnel operated under emergency conditions and prepared to abandon ship at any moment. Subsequently, the medical staff and crew continued to worked around the clock for several days.
Eighty-two years afterwards, Pearl Harbor still represents the Navy’s greatest disaster. It also marked the first time in history that a US Navy hospital ship operated amid a battle and the first time women serving on a US naval vessel served in combat. Amazingly, whether the enemy was adhering to the articles of the Hague Convention, was judicious in its attack, or just sheer luck. the ship escaped damage and no crewmembers were injured or killed.
The crew of USS Solace were each awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for their service at Pearl Harbor. Additionally, 26 crewmembers (13 doctors and nurses, as well as 13 hospital corpsmen) were later cited for their heroic actions on that day. It became the first hospital ship to be awarded the Navy’s prestigious Meritorious Unit Commendation, with a combat device. USS Solace went on to play a vital role in supporting fleet operations throughout World War II, receiving a total of seven battle stars in support of the Tarawa, Saipan, Kwajalein, Guam, Peleliu, Iwo Jima and Okinawa campaigns.
The word ‘solace’ is one that is synonymous with ‘mercy’ and ‘comfort,’ words which aptly describe the service it provided at Pearl Harbor. It’s sad that the deeds of this little vessel have slipped through the cracks of history and sadder still, not a single monumental plaque is present at Pearl Harbor lauding the heroic role it played on that fateful day. After the war, USS Solace was sold to the Turkish Navy, where it served for years as a troop transport. It is my hope this small article will return the memory of its heroic service to the forefront of people’s thoughts. December 7th is truly a day that forever lives in infamy, but because of the USS Solace and its crew, it became the little ship that DID!
