Empire State III
TS Empire State III (1956-1959)
[Former USS MERCY (AH-8)]
The Empire State III was originally the U.S.S Mercy. This ship was laid down as hull number 338 under the Maritime Commission contract by the Consolidated Steel Corporation at Wilmington, California, on February 4, 1943. Her Length was 416’, a beam of 60’ 2”, and a displacement of 11,250 tons. The Mercy was the second of three Navy hospital ships being converted from C1-B cargo ships. This was being done by Los Angeles shipbuilding and dry dock company, San Pedro.
The Mercy had a compliment of 516 personnel; the medical compliment was made up of the 214th Army Hospital Ship Company. The Mercy facilities rivaled those of the best equipped land hospitals. There were 700 beds covered with new blankets and a bright clean, well-equipped operating room, never before used. Hidden in the depths of the ship was a refrigerated morgue, but it was never used because in most cases burial at sea was much easier. Some of the ships rooms were also equipped with temperature control that could be raised to body temperature in about one half hour. The Mercy was so well equipped and played out, that the emergency rooms were scattered around the ship so if it was hit in any place, the attack would not immobilize the ship. As provided by the Geneva Convention, Mercy was painted all white and traveled completely illuminated at night. The ship’s noncombatant status was displayed by the large red crosses on its decks, smokestack, and sides, as well as a wide green stripe running its full length of both sides.
The Mercy was assigned to operate with the 5th and 7th fleets. She departed San Pedro, 31 August, 1944 for the South Pacific and after calls at Pearl Harbor and Eniwetok, and arrived at Hollandia, New Guinea, 14 October, 1944. When General MacArthur returned to the Philippines, the Mercy knew she was going to be needed. The Mercy arrived at the Leyte Gulf on what is known as D-Day+5, October 25, 1944. Mercy being the first hospital ship there, boarded over 400 wonder in just a few hours. During the next five months, Mercy completed seven more voyages from Leyte to Manus, or Hollandia. The Mercy’s next mission was with the 5th fleet which was serving in the Okinawa campaign that started April 1, 1945. On two missions, Mercy carried over 700 patients each time, utilizing tables and cots in the forward mess to accommodate those in excess of normal capacity. The Mercy also had missions during the Korean War.
In 1956, the Mercy was turned over to the New York State Maritime Academy and was renamed Empire State III. Her Maiden Voyage as Empire State III in 1956, took her to the ports of. Bermuda, LeHavre, France; Goteberg, Sweden; Copenhagen, Denmark; London, England; Cadiz, Spain. The Empire State III served the school for 4 years. Its last voyage was in 1959 and was to the ports of Plymouth, England; Oslo, Norway; Santander, Spain; Marseilles, France; Funchal, Portugal. Empire State III was returned to the reserve fleet and was there another 11 years before being sold for scrapping in June 1971; the ship was scrapped in Valencia, Spain.
