SS America | “An Early Drafting to War” | The Flagship of America (2/5)

The Vessel was first to be built by the newly formed United States Maritime Commission and the Vessel would be named ‘SS America’ to commemorate what was seen as the Rebirth of the United States Merchant Marine Fleet. Gibbs and Cox won the contract of the New Vessel and it would be built by the Newport News Ship Building and Dry Dock Company in Virginia. The SS America begin it's construction on August 22nd 1938 and in 1935 Gibbs and an apprentice snuck into an French Ocean Liner the SS Normandie and after the Voyage Gibbs took notes of the interior and incorporated many of the innovations he observed of the New French Ocean Liner in his New Ship. Her Hull was featured with a Flare Bow with a slight Bulb. A concave forward section and a overhanging shaped spoon stern. Gibbs was obsessed of Fire Safety long before after SS Normandie caught fire and capsized at New York. He was fascinated of the challenge since childhood and the recent Morro Castle Disaster was fresh on his mind, he integrated several fireproofing features and used a fibrous particle board called ‘Marinite’ to partition the ships Interiors and in modern day the Material we know today is ‘Asbestos’. The SS America was one of the only few Vessels at that time to have interiors designed by Women, Cox, retained Dorothy Markwald and Ann Urkart to design the ships 23 public rooms they opted marked wall instead of the popular art deco styles. They incorporated light-toned woods and fabrics with metal accents and ornamentations. The designs were bright and inviting and become proved to be deeply popular with passengers as originally built the ship weigh about 26,454 tons and was 723 long and with a height of 93 feet. The Vessel has 11 decks and could carry 1,202 Passengers and 643 Crew and was powered by Two Double Reduction Geared Steam Turbines that can produce 20,000 Horsepower that drove Twin screws Propellers that can achieve a Service Speed of 22.5 Knots.

The SS America was launched on August 31st, 1939, and was Christened by Eleanor Roosevelt the Nazis would invade Poland the next day and swiftly made the SS America's European routes too dangerous. SS America's Maiden Voyage took place on August 10, 1940, beginning an awkward first year of service mainly keeping in the relatively safe waters of the Caribbean. The United States was officially Neutral and to further protect the ship the name of the Vessel and Two Giant United States flags were painted on both sides of her hull to keep her from being mistaken as a Foreign Vessel. But War was all but inevitable the SS America was requisitioned by the United States Navy on June 1st, 1941 to be used as a Troopship and was renamed the ‘USS Westpoint’ and underwent extensive conversions at the Norfolk Shipyards in Virginia

The USS Westpoint was modified to carry 7678 troops and it was the first voyage that transported German and Italian consulate workers back to Europe. The USS Westpoint proved to be a vital asset of the United States Navy transporting over 350,000 troops more than any other navy troop ship in World War II. The Vessel traveled all around the world and earned several distinctions for its service. And on February 22nd, 1946 the Vessel was returned to passengers service and began extensive renovations.

2 years ago 43 views 18 frames 1 Like