Large Passenger Liners - SS America, 1940
Edited by David Barth, 7 December 2008
from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The SS America was an ocean liner built in 1940 for the United States Lines. She carried many names in the 54 years
between her construction and her 1994 wrecking, as she served as the following:
- SS America (carrying this name three different times during her career, 1940-1941, 1946-1964, 1978)
- USS West Point AP-23 (1941-1946)
- SS Australis (1964-1978)
- SS Italis (1978-1980)
- SS Noga (1980-1984)
- SS Alferdoss (1984-1993)
- SS American Star (1994)
She served most notably in passenger service as the SS America, and as the Greek-flagged SS
Australis for Chandris. In 1941, she carried two Nazi spies from the Duquesne Spy Ring in her crew: Erwin Wilhelm
Siegler and Franz Joseph Stigler. Both men were charged by the FBI with espionage and sentenced to 10 years and 16
years' imprisonment, respectively.
Builder: Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co.
Laid down: 22 August 1938
Launched: 31 August 1939
Maiden voyage: 22 August 1940
In service: 16 April 1940
Fate: Sold to the Chandris Group in 1964
Owners:
- Chandris Group (1964-June 1978, August 1978-1980)
- Venture Cruises (1978)
- Intercommerce Corporation (1980-1984)
- Silver Moon Ferries (1984-late 1980s)
- Out of service: Late 1980s
Fate:
Wrecked on a beach at Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands in 1994
Status:
Broken up, disintegrated, and submerged by 2008
General characteristics
Tonnage: 33,961 gross tons
Displacement: 21,079 light, 35,440 full load
Length: 723 ft (220.4 m)
Beam: 93.3 ft (28.4 m)
Draft: 32.9 ft (10 m)
Speed: 17.5 kn (32.4 km/h)
Capacity:
1,202 (passengers) as originally designed
7,678 when reconfigured as West Point
2,258 when rebuilt as Australis
Crew:
643 (originally)
750 (World War II)
Armament: (World War II only)
4 x 5 in
4 x 3 in/50
8 x .50-cal. machine gun.
Notes: Declared a total loss on 6 July 1994
See also:
RMS Mauretania - 1906.
RMS Titanic - 1911.
Europa - 1928.
Bremen - 1929.
SS Normandie - 1932.
RMS Queen Mary - 1934.
RMS Queen Elizabeth - 1938.
SS America - 1940.
RMS Oceanic - 1951.
SS United States - 1952.
SS France - 1960.
RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 - 1967.
RMS Queen Mary 2 - 2003.
MS Oasis of the Seas - 2009.