UG convoys The UG convoys were a series of east - bound trans - Atlantic convoys from the United States to Gibraltar carrying food , ammunition , and military hardware to the United States Army in North Africa and southern Europe during World War II . These convoys assembled in Hampton Roads near the mouth of Chesapeake Bay and terminated in various North African locations as Axis forces retreated from 1942 through 1945 . Background . Allied war materials had been transported from North America to the British Isles in HX convoys since 1939 and in slower SC convoys since 1940 . These convoys were escorted by the Royal Navy and Royal Canadian Navy . The United States Navy provided a few escorts to HX and SC convoys from September 1941 through April 1943 . UG convoys were established as a second , more direct , supply route to support the invasion of North Africa . The first convoy , designated UGF 1 , was the invasion convoy sailing on 24 October 1942 and arriving on 8 November 1942 . The F designated a convoy of faster ships . Thereafter , fast and slow eastbound and westbound convoys on this southern route were given four separate numbering sequences beginning with 2 . Fast eastbound convoys designated UGF . Approximately one fast eastbound convoy per month departed Hampton Roads along the southern trans - Atlantic route beginning with convoy UGF 2 on 2 November 1942 . Convoys UGF 2 and UGF 3 terminated in Casablanca in 1942 . Convoys UGF 4 through UGF 10 terminated in Oran in 1943 . Convoys UGF 8 and UGF 9 sailed in two sections with the second section being identified as UGF 8A and UGF 9A , respectively . Fast convoys were temporarily suspended during preparation for Operation Overlord after convoy UGF 10 reached Oran on 2 September 1943 . Sailings resumed on 17 May 1944 , and convoys UGF 11 through UGF 21 terminated in Naples in 1944 and 1945 . Separate convoys designated UGF 15B and UGF 17B terminated in Marseilles . The last fast eastbound convoy UGF 22 terminated in Oran on 8 April 1945 . A total of 382 ships sailed in 26 fast convoys , and none were lost . Slow eastbound convoys designated UGS . Approximately two slow eastbound convoys per month departed Hampton Roads along the southern trans - Atlantic route beginning with convoy UGS 2 on 13 November 1942 . Frequency of sailing increased to three convoys per month in the summer of 1943 and increased again to six convoys per month in 1945 . The last slow eastbound convoy , UGS 95 , left Hampton Roads on 28 May 1945 . Approximately 5800 ships sailed in 100 slow convoys . Additional sections were identified as UGS 5A , UGS 6A , UGS 7A , UGS 8A , UGS 33A , and UGS 55B . Convoy UGS 6 came under attack by wolf packs " Unverzagt " , " Wohlgemut " , and " Tummler " during the submarine offensive including the battle of convoys HX 229 / SC 122 . Three ships were sunk : These were the only ships lost during the Atlantic crossing of these convoys , although the following ships were lost in the Mediterranean Sea : Fast westbound convoys designated GUF . A total of 335 ships returned to the United States along the southern trans - Atlantic route in 24 fast convoys beginning with the sailing of convoy GUF 2 from Casablanca on 29 November 1942 . The last fast westbound convoy GUF 22 left Oran on 16 April 1945 . Additional sections were identified as GUF 2A , GUF 15B , and GUF 17B . No ships were lost from these fast convoys . Slow westbound convoys designated GUS . Approximately 5200 ships returned to the United States along the southern trans - Atlantic route in 98 slow convoys beginning with the sailing of convoy GUS 2 from Oran on 21 December 1942 . The last slow westbound convoy GUS 92 left Oran on 27 May 1945 . Additional sections were identified as GUS 5A , GUS 5B , GUS 6A , GUS 7A , GUS 8A , GUS 10X , and GUS 55B . There were no losses from these convoys during the Atlantic portion of their voyage , but five ships were lost within the Mediterranean Sea : Escorts . The United States Navy provided all escorts between Hampton Roads and Gibraltar , although some of the destroyer escort s providing anti - submarine screens for these convoys had United States Coast Guard crews . A typical screen was provided by an escort division ( CortDiv ) of six destroyer escorts . Most of these convoys were given air coverage from escort carrier s and patrol bombers flying from the Azores . The Royal Navy initially provided escorts within the Mediterranean , although United States escorted these convoys as far as Oran as the front moved east .