SS Léopoldville (1928)

History
Belgium
Name	Léopoldville
Namesake	Léopoldville
Operator	Compagnie Belge Maritime du Congo; (Later Compagnie Maritime Belge (Lloyd Royal) SA), Antwerp;
Port of registry	Antwerp
Builder	John Cockerill SA, Hoboken, Antwerp
Launched	26 September 1928
Completed	1929
Identification	Belgian Official Number 120; code letters MLFP (until 1933); ; call sign ONLB (1934 onward); ;
Fate	Torpedoed and sunk by U-486 near Cherbourg, 24 December 1944
General characteristics
Tonnage	11,256 GRT, 6,521 NRT (1919–37); 11,509 GRT, 6,941 NRT (1937–44);
Length	478 ft 8 in (145.90 m)
Beam	62 ft 2 in (18.95 m)
Draught	25 ft 9.75 in (7.8677 m)
Depth	35 ft 0 in (10.67 m)
Installed power	1,019 NHP until 1935; 1,197 NHP 1936 onward;
Propulsion	2 × quadruple-expansion engines; 2 × exhaust steam turbines (added 1936); 2 × screw propellers;
Speed	16 knots (30 km/h)
Capacity	360 passengers (peacetime); 8,458 cubic feet (239.5 m3) refrigerated cargo space (peacetime); 5,000 troops (wartime);
Crew	213 plus 24 DEMS gunners

SS Léopoldville was a 11,509 GRT passenger liner of the Compagnie Belge Maritime du Congo. She was converted for use as a troopship in the Second World War, and on December 24, 1944, while sailing between Southampton and Cherbourg, was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-486. As a result, about 763 US soldiers and 15 officers of the ship's crew died. The crew had abandoned ship and left U.S. troops without proper evacuation orders.

History

Belgium
Name	Léopoldville
Namesake	Léopoldville
Operator	Compagnie Belge Maritime du Congo (Later Compagnie Maritime Belge (Lloyd Royal) SA), Antwerp
Port of registry	Antwerp
Builder	John Cockerill SA, Hoboken, Antwerp
Launched	26 September 1928
Completed	1929
Identification	Belgian Official Number 120 code letters MLFP (until 1933) call sign ONLB (1934 onward)
Fate	Torpedoed and sunk by U-486 near Cherbourg, 24 December 1944
General characteristics
Tonnage	11,256 GRT, 6,521 NRT (1919–37) 11,509 GRT, 6,941 NRT (1937–44)
Length	478 ft 8 in (145.90 m)
Beam	62 ft 2 in (18.95 m)
Draught	25 ft 9.75 in (7.8677 m)
Depth	35 ft 0 in (10.67 m)
Installed power	1,019 NHP until 1935 1,197 NHP 1936 onward
Propulsion	2 × quadruple-expansion engines 2 × exhaust steam turbines (added 1936) 2 × screw propellers
Speed	16 knots (30 km/h)
Capacity	360 passengers (peacetime) 8,458 cubic feet (239.5 m³) refrigerated cargo space (peacetime) 5,000 troops (wartime)
Crew	213 plus 24 DEMS gunners