#us line

The SS America in Havanna, Cuba in 1940. During the first phase of WW2, when the United States remained neutral, the US Line (the ships owner) had the name and the Stars and Stripes banner painted in big letters on both sides of the hull, to avoid being confused with the enemy and attacked by one of the two belligerant parties.

The Leviathan (built es Vaterland in 1914 for the HAPAG), leaving Boston docks for her sea trials. The photo is part of a series made by Leslie Jones, documenting the Leviathans reconversion into an US line - ocean liner in New York and Boston in 1923.

After the SS Leviathan was put out of service in the late 30s, the US Line was in need of a new flagship. It was ordered in Newport News in 1938 and named America. The new ship was designed by William Francis Gibbs who, almost 15 years later, would design the United States as well. This is why the America, although she was much smaller than her famous succesor, had many features that made her look similar. As the United States remained neutral in the first two years of WW2, the America, launched in 1940, saw a short timed civilian pre - war service. This changed drastically after the United States joined the allies in 1941. The America was called up to service by the US Navy and served the remainder of the war as a troop ship (for which she was renamed USS West Point). The America transported around 350.000 troops during the war, more than any other troop ship of the US Navy. It was only in 1946 that she was returned to her original owners. From then on she served on the transatlantic line and was quite popular, especially amongst american passengers. The year 1952 saw the introduction of the United States as new flagship for the US Line and the America somewhat disappeared behind the fame of her much more famous running mate. Increasingly she was used as a cruise ship and in 1962 the US Line decided to sell her off. She was bought by Chandris, which used her, renamed Australis, to transport inmigrants to Australia. The Australis was the last liner to serve the Australia line regularly until she was sold off again in 1978. From then on she changed her owners multiple times. In the early 90s she was finally sold to be reconverted into a hotel ship in Thailand. However this would never happen since in 1993, on her way to be refitted, the former America ran aground off the coast of Fuerteventura on the Canary Islands, where she became a somewhat grotesque tourist attraction. The wreck decayed quickly and by 2013 it was no longer visible.