SS Lane Victory SS " Lane Victory " is a U . S . A " Victory " - class cargo ship used in World War II , the Korean War and Vietnam War . The ship was preserved in 1998 to serve as a museum ship in the San Pedro area of Los Angeles , California . As a rare surviving Victory ship , she was designated a U . S . National Historic Landmark . The " Lane Victory " was named after Lane College , which was established as a high school for black youths in 1882 at Jackson , Tennessee by Isaac Lane , a bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church . The school grew into a prominent liberal arts college . World War II . The " Lane Victory " was built in Los Angeles by the California Shipbuilding Corporation and launched on May 31 , 1945 . On her first voyage , June 27 , 1945 , the " Lane Victory " carried war supplies in the Pacific . The War Shipping Administration gave the operations of the ship to the American President Lines . United States Merchant Mariners operated the ship . The United States Navy Armed Guard , who manned the ship ' s guns , worked as signalmen and radiomen . She made two Pacific cruises , beginning July 10 , 1945 to Manus Island , and the second starting August 30 , 1945 to Guam , Saipan and Hawaii . The trip to Guam was to bring food to the island . On the way the " Lane Victory " was hit by a typhoon and was tossed around for 14 days . On February 27 , 1946 her second voyage ended . With the end of World War II , she started shipping aid . In March 1946 she started delivering goods to Europe under the Marshall Plan . With the end of the aid plan , on May 11 , 1948 the " Lane Victory " was laid up at Suisun Bay , California . Korean War . In 1950 the " Lane Victory " was taken out of storage and by October 1950 was back in service . She was then deployed to evacuate Korean civilians and U . N . personnel at Wonsan , North Korea . During December 1950 she evacuated over 3 , 800 U . S . troops and 1 , 100 vehicles from Hungnam while under attack during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir . The " Lane Victory " offloaded troops , vehicles and cargo as the cruiser " Saint Paul " and destroyer s laid down a covering fire . After unloading she evacuated 7 , 010 men , women and children , taking them south to safety . When the ship arrived 7 , 011 passengers disembarked , as a baby had been born during the voyage . On October 10 , 1953 she back laid up in Suisun Bay , California storage . An annual Korean War tribute day is held aboard the SS " Lane Victory " in honor of those saved . Vietnam War . In 1966 the ship was restored to duty again for the Vietnam War . She also saw duty during the conflict moving ammunition and supplies to and from the war zone in Vietnam . On April 29 , 1970 the " Lane Victory " was laid up again at Suisun Bay for storage in the National Defense Reserve Fleet . During her three - war career , she traveled through the Far East Pacific , made a few transatlantic crossings and once circumnavigated the globe . Post - war . Because of the ship ' s excellent condition in storage at Suisun Bay , the Maritime Administration decided to set aside the " Lane Victory " for preservation . President Ronald Reagan signed into law H . R . 2032 on October 18 , 1988 , which turned over the ship to the United States Merchant Marine Veterans of World War II . Joe Vernick , John Smith and a group of Merchant Marine veterans had worked for years for the ship to be released from the Reserve Fleet . Volunteers from the United States Merchant Marine Veterans of World War II worked for three years to restore the ship to working condition after she had sat , slowly decaying , in Suisun Bay for nearly two decades . Many upgrades were performed in order to bring the " Lane Victory " up to Coast Guard standards . She was drydocked in 1992 , and her hull was proved sound . On September 10 , 1992 her sea trials started and proved her seaworthy . In June 1994 the " Lane Victory " participated in a mock Normandy invasion in the Santa Barbara Channel in celebration of the 50th anniversary of D - Day . In September 1994 she escorted the Liberty ship SS " Jeremiah O ' Brien " from San Pedro to San Francisco in celebration of the " O ' Brien " ' s return from her voyage to Normandy . On October 9 , 2007 the SS " Lane Victory " received a Special Heritage Award from the World Ship Trust in San Diego . She serves as a training facility for the Los Angeles County Fire Department , Los Angeles City Fire Department , local law enforcement agencies , FBI , the U . S . Coast Guard and other United States Armed Forces . Museum Ship . After her 1988 acquisition by the U . S . Merchant Marine Veterans of World War II , the " Lane Victory " was towed to the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro on June 12 , 1989 . She was turned into a museum and work ship again . In 1990 the " Lane Victory " was designated a National Historic Landmark . A volunteer crew maintain and operate the ship and her two onboard museums . On September 13 , 2000 Congress passed Resolution 327 , recognizing the SS " Lane Victory " as a representative of the service and sacrifices of the U . S . Merchant Marine to the nation during times of conflict : " Whereas vessels of the United States merchant marine fleet , such as the S . S . LANE VICTORY , provided critical logistical support to the Armed Forces by carrying equipment , supplies , and personnel necessary to maintain war efforts " The " Lane Victory " is an operational vessel and currently makes three one - day trips , called " Victory at Sea " cruises , over three weekends to Catalina Island each year . The cruise takes passengers back to the atmosphere and feeling of the 1940s , including the sounds of swing music . The " Lane Victory " serves up buffet style lunch on the cruises . The atmosphere is enhanced with an attacking aircraft flyby . In February 2012 she moved from Berth 94 in Los Angeles Harbor by the Vincent Thomas Bridge to Berth 46 in Los Angeles Harbor at the end of Harbor Boulevard - Miner Street , south of the bridge . She was reopened to the public on February 17 , 2012 . She was moved to Berth 49 in early 2013 as Berth 46 is being turned into a future cruise ship dock . She may move again and become part of the USS " Iowa " ship museum in the Port of Los Angeles , which opened on July 7 , 2012 . Usage in Hollywood . The " Lane Victory " has been used in many movies , TV shows and commercials because of her excellent working condition . The ship ' s wakes were used in the 1997 blockbuster movie " Titanic " for the titular ocean liner ' s wakes . She also served as the setting for the climax of the comedy film " The Pest " the same year . Other films in which the ship appeared are : " Black Ops ( Deadwater ) " ( 2008 ) , " Flags of Our Fathers " ( 2006 ) , " GI Jane " ( 1997 ) , " Pearl Harbor " ( 2001 ) , " The Thin Red Line " ( 1988 ) and " U - 571 " ( 2000 ) . " ( note : this is a partial list ) " Some TV shows she was featured in are : " Alias , Baywatch , California Gold , Mail Call " ( episode # 70 ) , " MacGyver " , " Murder She Wrote " , the National Geographic Channel , " NCIS " , " Port Chicago Mutiny " ( TV movie ) , " Return of the Pirates " ( History Channel ) , " Special Ops Mission " and " Unsolved Mysteries " . In the " King of the Hill " episode " Returning Japanese : Part 2 " ( 2002 ) , Cotton is sent back to the U . S . aboard the " Lane Victory " . " ( note : this is a partial list ) " In 1999 the ship was used in a Ford Super Duty commercial and Disney ' s " Golden Dreams " commercial . " ( note : this is a partial list ) " The engine housed in the " Lane Victory " ' s cargo hold was used as the engine for the USS " San Pablo " in " The Sand Pebbles " ( 1966 ) . Awards . The " Lane Victory " earned one ribbon for World War II service , two for Korean War service - United Nations Korea Medal & Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation - and one for Vietnam War service .