Forgotten Victory – SS Lane Victory Story (Feature Documentary)

The Korean War is perhaps the least known major conflict in contemporary history. The war killed at least 2.5 million people and countless were wounded. On June 25th, 1950, North Korean forces, backed politically and militarily by China and the Soviet Union, crossed the 38th parallel into South Korea.

The 5.7 million American men and women who served in that war each have their own memories, whether they were on the battlefront, in the air, or in support of those whose lives were at risk.

The Hungnam Evacuation saga began in December 1950, when the U.S.-led U.N. forces were suddenly surrounded by Communist Chinese troops who stealthily entered the fray. More than 100,000 Chinese “volunteers” overran the unsuspecting U.N. troops near the Chosin Reservoir. The U.N. troops hastily retreated south to the port city of Hungnam, where they were evacuated on 193 ships.

Close to one hundred thousand desperate civilian refugees gathered around the villages and towns near the port with their bags, sacks, and babies strapped to their backs. Mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters of all ages desperately sought escape to avoid death or capture at the hands of the Communists.

During the Hungnam Evacuation, The SS Lane Victory was also deployed to evacuate Korean civilians and United Nations personnel at Wonsan, North Korea. It evacuated over 3,800 U.S. troops and 1,100 vehicles that survived the Battle of Chosin Reservoir. Lane Victory offloaded troops, vehicles, and cargo as the cruiser USS Saint Paul and destroyers laid down covering fire. After unloading, she safely evacuated 7,010 men, women, and children. When the ship arrived, 7,011 passengers disembarked, as a baby had been born during the voyage.

This documentary film shares the emotional and compelling stories of some of those Korean refugees who survived the Hungnam evacuation. Sadly, the legacy and memories of our heroes—the men and women who serve the Korean War— are fading away fast and being forgotten. The objective is to turn this important vessel into a permanent historical monument. The USS Lane Victory will help remind the younger generations of the cruelty of war and the importance of peace unless it too becomes another scrap metal project.

Written and Directed by Christopher HK Lee

#koreanwar #sslanevictory #흥남철수