the hull number is listed by Navy as "not used." USAT Meigs was part of the Pensacola Convoy attempting to reinforce the Philippines in the early stages of the Pacific War and held at Fiji when it was evident the Japanese were already invading the Philippines. Despite a military decision to bring the convoy back to Hawaii or the West Coast, a presidential decision routed the ships to Australia to attempt Philippine support from there. After being part of an abortive convoy escorted by and smaller escorts, that had departed on 15 February 1942 in an attempt to reinforce the island of Timor, she returned to the Australian town of Darwin, Northern Territory. On 19 February 1942 Japanese aircraft attacked Darwin's land and shipping targets in two waves. The Meigs was one of six ships sunk, with one of its crew of 66 killed, after being struck by a number of bombs and aerial torpedoes. Wreck Although the superstructure of the wreck was salvaged after the war by Fujita Salvage of Osaka, Japan, the cargo of munitions, railway rails, Bren gun carriers and trucks intended for Allied forces in Portuguese Timor remains. The Meigs is now a dive site, where the remnants of the cargo are as visible as the remains of the vessel itself. It lies in of water at coordinates , and due to the large tidal movements creating strong currents and poor visibility, is only divable around neap tides. Namesakes The name USS Meigs is incorrectly applied to the USAT Meigs and also, properly, to the , which served in the Korean War. There was also a small Quartermaster Corps passenger and freight steamer built in 1892 by John H. Dialogue & Son, Camden New Jersey, and serving in the early 20th century named General Meigs. See also List of ships sunk by the Imperial Japanese Navy References External links The Bombing of Darwin Australian War Memorial, photograph P05303.019 The war at home: Second World War shipwrecks in Australian waters 1921 ships Design 1133 ships of the United States Army Ships built in Los Angeles Ships sunk in the bombing of Darwin, 1942 Maritime incidents in February 1942 Transport ships of the United States Army World War II auxiliary ships of the United States Wreck diving sites