Vigo County Historical Society

City woman christened ship

On Feb. 2, 1945, Mrs. J.B. Pfister was given the honor of christening an armed cargo ship named after her hometown, the S.S. Terre Haute Victory.

During World War II, a series of Victory ships were built and named after cities showing strong support for the war effort. Because the Navy had just honored our city as the outstanding Wave recruitment center in the country, Wood Gageby, national advertising manager of the Tribune-Star Publishing Co. wrote to Secretary of the Navy, James Forrestal suggesting the city’s wartime achievement be further recognized.

Mayor Vern McMillan was notified in December 1944 that an armed cargo ship would be named after the city and launched from Portland, Ore.

The planning for the launching was then delegated to a local committee headed by Gageby. Because of her outstanding involvement with the war, Pfister was chosen by the committee to christen the ship. Six of her seven sons, Paul, Robert, Leo, Charles, Bill and Joe were serving in the armed forces, as well as a son-in-law, a brother, two nephews and a niece.

Terre Haute rallied behind this distinction and conducted a fund-raising campaign to provide recreational equipment for the ship. The largest contribution, $500, was raised by the city’s school children and this was used to purchase books for the library.

Pfister was asked to select a group of attendants to accompany her at the ship’s christening. Among those making the train trip to Portland were her matrons of honor, Mrs. Charles Templeton and Mrs. William Anderson and flower girls Sally and Martha McMillan.

Describing the event, Pfister wrote, "Then came my big minute for it seems it took me just that long to break the bottle of champagne on the prow of the ship. I raised the bottle of champagne encased in red, white and blue latticed ribbons so the glass wouldn’t fly and said, ‘I christen thee the S.S. Terre Haute Victory,’ and hit the prow. The bottle broke with a crash and the champagne flew in all directions so that soon everybody was walking in it. The ship slipped down the way and into the waters of the Williamette River to go to sea."

A series of photographs depicting the event is part of an exhibit currently being shown at the museum. It is called "On the Home Front" and illustrates many activities, both locally and nationally, that were carried out by those at home to ease the burden of war.