SS Argentina (1929)
Encyclopedia
One of a trio of American-built passenger liners on the US-South America
route, the Argentina was owned and operated by Moore-McCormack
Steamship Lines and sailed this route until she was laid up in 1958.
scientists and sailed from Southampton to New York (January 26-February 9, 1946) with the first contingent of war brides.
The three ships were restored for passenger service in 1947. Argentina resumed her US-South America route until 1958, when Moore-McCormack commissioned a brand-new Argentina. She was sent to the U.S. Maritime Commission's "Reserve Fleet" on the James River in Virginia
. She remained there until 1964, when she was sold for scrap in Kearney, NJ.
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
route, the Argentina was owned and operated by Moore-McCormack
Moore-McCormack
The Moore-McCormack Lines was a series of companies operating as shipping lines, operated by the Moore-McCormack Company, Incorporated later Moore-McCormack Lines, Incorporated and simply Mooremack, founded in 1913 in New York, USA. It ceased trading on its buy-out in 1982. The founders were Albert...
Steamship Lines and sailed this route until she was laid up in 1958.
The Pennsylvania
Originally built as the "Pennsylvania" for International Mercantile Marine at Newport News Shipyard, VA. She was Hull 329, with Official Number 229044. She was launched 10/10/29 for operation by the Panama Pacific Line, and was built for the New York-Panama-Los Angeles-San Francisco route with her sisters California and Virginia. The Pennsylvania was 613 feet long, 80 feet wide and measured 20,614 gross tons. She carried 750 passengers in first and tourist class; her crew numbered 350. Turbo-electric engines drove her at a service speed of 17 knots. The ships proved too large for this route and their government subsidies were halted in 1937, when they were sold to the U. S. Maritime Commission and laid up.The Argentina
The U.S. Maritime Commission took the 3 ships in 1937 and extensively refurbished them for the South American trade. They were then given to the American Republics Line, a subsidiary of Moore-McCormack Lines, to operate for the U. S. as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's "Good Neighbor Policy". The Pennsylvania was renamed Argentina, the "California" renamed "Uruguay" and the "Virginia" renamed "Brazil". Her passenger load was revised to 500 and one large funnel replaced her smaller two. She was also outfitted to carry 450,000 pounds of cargo, including 95,000 refrigerated. 10/01/38 began her operation as the "SS Argentina". She served on the route until the United States entry into the Second World War. 01/02/42 to 07/01/42 the "Argentina" was returned to the Maritime Commission and was converted to an Army Transport (USAT) for the War Shipping Administration. She sailed under her civilian name. 05/06/46 the "Argentina" was returned for civilian operations. 11/04/46 she went to Bethlehem Steel's 56th St Shipyard, Brooklyn NY for reconversion for liner service. 01/01/46 Moore-McCormack resumed operating her for the Maritime Commission. 08/05/58 she was de-activated and laid up in the James River Reserve Fleet. In 1964 the "Argentina" was sold to Peck Iron and Metals, Norfolk, VA for scrap; then subsequently sold again to Luna Bros and scrapped in Kearny, NJ.World War Two and post-war career
From 1942 to 1946, the Argentina and her sisters operated as troopships. The Argentina also arrived in the US on November 16, 1945 with Operation PaperclipOperation Paperclip
Operation Paperclip was the Office of Strategic Services program used to recruit the scientists of Nazi Germany for employment by the United States in the aftermath of World War II...
scientists and sailed from Southampton to New York (January 26-February 9, 1946) with the first contingent of war brides.
The three ships were restored for passenger service in 1947. Argentina resumed her US-South America route until 1958, when Moore-McCormack commissioned a brand-new Argentina. She was sent to the U.S. Maritime Commission's "Reserve Fleet" on the James River in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. She remained there until 1964, when she was sold for scrap in Kearney, NJ.