In December 1942,
Queen Mary carried 16,082 American soldiers from New York to Great Britain,
[24] a standing record for the most passengers ever transported on one vessel.
[25] During this trip, while 700 miles (1,100 km) from Scotland during a gale, she was suddenly hit broadside by a
rogue wave that may have reached a height of 28 metres (92 ft). An account of this crossing can be found in Carter's book.
[24][26] As quoted in the book, Carter's father, Dr. Norval Carter, part of the 110th Station Hospital on board at the time, wrote in a letter that at one point
Queen Mary "damned near capsized... One moment the top deck was at its usual height and then, swoom! Down, over, and forward she would pitch." It was calculated later that the ship rolled 52 degrees, and would have capsized had she rolled another 3 degrees.