THE

GOOD

NEIGHBOR

FLEET

Consisting

of a Trio of

Newport

News-

Built

Ships

by Bill Lee

Introduction

When President Franklin D. Roosevelt took office in 1933, he was determined to improve relations with the nations of Central and South America. Under his leadership, the United States emphasized cooperation and trade rather than military force to maintain stability in the Western Hemisphere. In his first inaugural speech, Roosevelt stated:

“In the field of world policy I would dedicate this nation to the policy of the good neighbor—the neighbor who resolutely respects himself and,

because he does so, respects the rights of others.”

Latin America quickly embraced what became known as 'The Good Neighbor Policy'. A trio of ocean liners built by Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) in the 1920s for another purpose were acquired and revitalized in the late 1930s to help promote that policy. They became known as 'The Good Neighbor Fleet'.

2

Panama Pacific Line

Before the idea of creating a Good Neighbor Fleet was put forth, the Panama Pacific Line, a subsidiary of the International Mercantile Marine Company (IMM), was formed in anticipation of the opening of the Panama Canal in August of 1914. In 1915 the Panama Pacific Line began to transport passengers and cargo between the east and west coasts of the United States via that Central America waterway. Two steamships, the SS KROONLAND and the SS FINLAND (both built in 1902) were initially used for this purpose. The KROONLAND is depicted, below, transiting the Panama Canal's Culebra Cut in 1915 while under tow.

The outbreak of World War I resulted in suspension of this intercoastal service. The two Panama Pacific Line's vessels became American troop transports. By 1923, the two ships had been returned to their owners and had been joined by two additional vessels a couple of years later when the increasingly popular...and profitable... voyages between America's east and west coasts were resumed.

Business became so good that the Panama Pacific Line committed to the construction of three larger passenger liners in the pre-depression years of the mid-1920s. The contract for the first of this trio of near-sister ships, the SS CALIFORNIA, was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding in November of 1925. A year and a half later, the contract for a second, albeit slightly larger vessel, the SS VIRGINIA was issued. A third contact followed a year later, in mid-1928 for the SS PENNSYLVANIA.

3

CALIFORNIA,

VIRGINIA &

PENNSYLVANIA The post-war lull in major shipbuilding at Newport News essentially ended in August of 1926 when the keel was laid for the CALIFORNIA. When completed in early 1928, she became the biggest passenger liner to be built in the United States up to that time. She also was the first American passenger liner to utilize turbo-electric machinery for propulsion. The following table provides some of the principal 'as-built' characteristics for CALIFORNIA and her near-sister ships. Ship Name NNS

Hull # Length Displacement Shaft

Horsepower Design Speed

California 315 601 feet 30,260 tons 13,500 18 knots Virginia 326 613 feet 30,924 tons 13,500 18 knots

Pennsylvania 329 613 feet 30,924 tons 13,500 18 knots All of these vessels were built on NNS' semi-submerged Shipway #9, which no longer exists. Shipyard records note that when the CALIFORNIA was christened on Saturday, October 1, 1927, in a ceremony open to the public, it only took 43 seconds from the start of her slide to the sea until she became fully waterborne. The vessel's sponsor was the daughter of the president of the International Mercantile Marine Company. To commemorate that event, significant to both that firm and the shipyard, a booklet entitled The New California was distributed to all members of the launching party.

4

On New Year's Day in 1928, NNS employees and their families were permitted to tour the nearly completed CALIFORNIA. A week later she successfully passed her sea trials, and exceeded her design speed of 18 knots by almost ten percent. The CALIFORNIA, depicted on the right during a Panama Canal passage and her near-sisters were, according to 1920s publicity, 'handsome' vessels. Externally, they exhibited a balanced look, in part due to the installation of two funnels; the aftermost of which was a dummy. Internally, her public spaces, as reflected in the following example were of an old-fashioned, ornate style that was popular in ship interiors before art deco became all the rage.

The SS VIRGINIA , second of the trio of ships built for the Panama Pacific Line, was twelve feet longer than the CALIFORNIA. Otherwise, they appeared identical in outward appearance.

5

The VIRGINIA slid down the ways on a very hot Saturday in mid-August 1928 at 11:21 AM before a large crowd. Her launching was a matter of considerable pride for Virginians in general and the craftsmen of Newport News and their families in particular. It was a scene once commonplace at NNS for decades. But no longer, for the semi-submerged shipways at NNS were demolished in 1982 to make way for a submarine manufacturing complex. Moved to an NNS south side outfitting pier [depicted below], work on the SS VIRGINIA was finished in just a little over three more months. Delivered in late November 1928, the vessel featured accommodations for 184 passengers in First Class, 365 in Tourist Class and 350 crew.

The PENNSYLVANIA was created in less than twelve months...from keel laying to delivery. She left NNS on October 12, 1929. Seventeen days later, on what is called 'Black Tuesday' the stock market crashed, setting off a decade of depression in America. For a while, the three new ships were unaffected by this cataclysmic economic event. During the early 1930s they continued to maintain a regular

schedule of sailings, thanks in large part to a generous US mail subsidy. Then, between March of 1936 and May of 1938, labor issues, increased Panama Canal tolls and the fatal blow...termination of all maritime mail subsidies by Congress...changed everything.

6

As a result, the Panama Pacific Line took all three of their liners out of service. The steamship company sold the trio to the United States Maritime Commission, which...at President Roosvevelt's urging...was planning to initiate a New York to South America passenger and cargo service. Before returning the trio to service, the US Maritime Commission had the three sister ships extensively refurbrished at three different shipyards...and renamed. The CALIFORNIA, VIRGINIA and PENNSYLVANIA became the URUGUAY, BRAZIL and ARGENTINA, respectively. Each vessel was fireproofed to comply with Federal safety regulations that were instituted after fire destroyed the liner MORRO CASTLE in 1934. All three ships were also fitted with multiple watertight doors electrically controlled from the bridge. Their well decks forward of their superstructures were enclosed. Aft on each ship, a second swimming pool was added, along with a veranda cafe for First Class pasengers. Air conditioning, which had been introduced in 1933 to First Class spaces in the three ships was extended to some of their Tourist Class spaces. Stateroom enhancements reduced their passenger capacity to between 470 and 500, depending on which ship received more spacious quarters that were fitted with private bathrooms...for the first time. Cargo capacity for each ship was also increased to 200 tons, of which about 20 percent was refrigerated. Crew accomodations were substancially improved.

7

But the most apparant change was the reduction in the number of funnels. Each ship's dummy funnel was removed, and the remaining functional one streamlined and given the stack insigna design of her new operating company. The net effect was to produce a more pleasing profile.

The URUGUAY [former CALIFORNIA] was reconditioned at her birthplace; Newport News Shipbuilding. The work was considered extensive enough for her to be given a new NNS Hull Number [377] along with her new name. During a dry docking period for underwater work, a set of new propellers were installed. Her outfitting work took place at the very same outfitting pier that had been used when she was built. The numerous changes made resulted in an increase in her displacement of about 2,200 tons. In parallel with the three liners' reconditioning, the US Maritime Commission contracted with Moore-McCormack Lines to operate them, plus ten cargo vessels between the USA and South America. Moore-McCormack assigned the three liners to the fleet of a subsidiary company called American Republics Lines.

By late 1938, all three renovated and renamed ships had been placed in service. They quickly became the most visible indication that President Roosevelt's 'Good Neighbor Policy' was in full swing. Moore-McCormack took full advantage of the popularity of the slogan 'The Good Neighbor Fleet' and featured it in numerous advertisements touting the ships. They also

included another slogan: 'See the Americas First'; an obvious appeal to travel to South America in lieu of going to Europe. This sales pitch took on additional emphasis in 1939 when Europe was again plunged into war.

8

Three Ships...

Three Destinations...

Three Years The Good Neighbor Fleet commenced regular sailing schedules in early October 1938. A typical voyage from the ships' home port of New York to ports in South America and then return lasted 38 days. Each of the ships visited Trinidad, Rio de Janeiro, Santos, Montevideo and Buenos Aires on both their outbound and return trips. The adult fares in 1939 for a round trip passage on any of the ships in The Good Neighbor Fleet was $515 in First Class and $395 in Tourist Class [children's fare were half price]. When one of the ships spent additional time in Rio de Janeiro for the annual 'Rio Carnival', the First Class fare was increased to $585.

Each of these leisurely trips covered a total of 12,610 nautical miles. On two week intervals, one of three vessels would depart New York harbor at midnight on a Friday. Although the first few sailings were not made at full capacity, the allure of what was tantamount to a month-long cruise in mostly tropical waters with several stops at exotic South American ports soon captured the public's imagination. In 1939,

American Republics Line booked 15,000 passengers. In 1940, this number increased to 20,000 as America slowly emerged from the depths of depression.

9

Many a family, like the one depicted below left New York in cold weather, swathed in winter clothing. But as the ships steamed south, they donned more tropical attire.

Each southbound or northbound trip also meant crossing the equator. Relatively benign ceremonies were held onboard each of the ships in order to induct any lowly pollywogs present amongst the passengers into King Neptune's royal order of trusty shellbacks.

Unlike the rough and tumble ceremonies US Navy sailors had to endure, passengers onboard any vessel in The Good Neighbor Fleet were only exposed to token hazing. Part of the fun for passengers and crew who had previously 'crossed the line' was dressing up to play parts in King Neptune's court.

10

On one memorable occasion in May of 1940, Arturo Toscanini and the members of his 100-piece NBC Symphony Orchestra sailed onboard the SS BRAZIL for a concert tour of South America. While underway, the orchestra performed a concert which was broadcast live on radio and beamed back to the United States. As war moved closer to the shores of the western hemisphere during 1941, ships registered in the United States had huge American flags painted on both sides of their hulls to proclaim their neutrality to any U-boat skipper who might spy one of them through his periscope. In spite of this precaution, several American-flagged vessels were attacked that year, resulting in a few of them being sunk. Fortunately, none of ships of The Good Neighbor Fleet were involved in such incidents. Towards the end of 1941, the advertisement [right] was published in National Geographic and several travel magazines. But the planned voyages to South America in 1942 never transpired.

The War Years The last peacetime departure from New York took place on December 6, 1941. The SS BRAZIL had been scheduled to sail at midnight on December 5th, but fog delayed her departure until 8 AM the following morning. Her passenger manifest included 316 passengers; 150 of whom were American construction workers. Five Japanese diplomats were amongst the passengers. The crew numbered almost 400. When news of the attack at Pearl Harbor reached the BRAZIL while she was steaming southward in international waters, her captain ordered all portholes sealed. Blackout conditions were also instituted. When the vessel made a scheduled stop in the British Crown Colony of Barbados, British military came onboard and removed the five Japanese.

11

When the SS BRAZIL reached Rio de Janeiro, members of her crew painted over the Stars and Stripes on her black flanks. Later, while cruising southward along the coast of South America, they painted over the bright logo on her funnel [left]. The ship arrived in Buenos Aires on December 23, 1941. By Christmas Day, the rest of the vessel had been painted grey by her busy crew. The following illustrations show how she looked 'before' and 'after'.

The BRAZIL's return trip to New York took over a month, as she followed military directives to avoid any possible contact with enemy submarines. Her passenger list for that unusually long period of time was 135.

In early 1942, all three of the liners being operated by Moore-McCormack Lines were returned to the Maritime Commission, which...in turn...assigned them to the War Shipping Administration (WSA) for use as troop transports. The WSA utilized cilivian merchant mariners to sail the ships as part of the US Army Transport (USAT) service. The prefix SS on their titles and subsequent paperwork was replaced by USAT. But all three vessels retained their names throughout the war years.

12

For almost five years, they roamed all the major oceans of the world, safely transporting half million military personnel to the war front. Considered fast enough to operate independently, they often sailed alone. The combined and impressive war records for USAT ARGENTINA, USAT BRAZIL and USAT URUGUAY indicate that they performed tirelessly and...with one exception...without serious incident.

On August 12, 1943, while zig-zagging near Bermuda, the USAT URUGUAY was rammed amidships by the tanker USS SALAMONIE (AO-26). [the tanker, left, was built by NNS]. Her sturdy bow punched a 70-foot wide hole in the transport's side, penetrating her hospital and troop berthing spaces.

Thirteen soldiers were killed and 50 more injured. One of the injured was later found unconscious on the tanker's deck after the two damaged vessels were separated and the tanker got safely to port in Burmuda. Miraculously, he only suffered minor injuries and quickly recovered. The crew of the URUGUAY managed to keep the former liner afloat until they could reach Burmuda, where temporary repairs were made. The ship then limped to Newport News. Dry docked at her birthplace, it took three months to repair her. All three former members of The Good Neighbor Fleet undertook missions that required them to make multiple Atlantic and Pacific Crossings. Their destinations, for a variety of military purposes, included ports in Australia, New Zealand, India, Africa and several European countries. They transported soldiers, marines, aviators and nurses to bases all over the world; often transiting the canal in Panama where they first served peacefully in the 1920s and 1930s. On most return trips to the United States, wounded were brought back home. On a few of these trips Axis prisoners of war were also transported for internment in America. Typical for the three ships was the war record of the USAT ARGENTINA. During World War II she made 56 voyages, covering 336,000 nautical miles. The number of the military passengers embarked exceeded 200,000. When the war was over, all three ships continued to serve as military transports for a year or more.

13

Operation Magic Carpet

When global hostilities ended in 1945, the War Shipping Administration was called upon, along with a large number of navy warships and transports, to bring eight million American service personnel home from overseas. This huge undertaking was given the appellation 'Operation Magic Carpet'. USAT ARGENTINA began ferrying soldiers home from Europe in June of 1945. She continued to do so well into 1946, making several trans-Atlantic trips before being released by the War Shipping Administration in November of that year. The BRAZIL made a 'Magic Carpet' run from France to the United States in July of 1945, then was sent to the Pacific where she made two trips to the Philippines to bring troops home. The image on the right shows this war weary vessel arriving in San Francisco in September of 1945 with 4,682 soldiers onboard. In early 1946 she returned to the Atlantic and made more voyages between Europe and America before being released from military service in early August, 1946. Participation in Operation Magic Carpet took the URUGUAY to several far-flung ports. In May of 1945 she left New York, transporting occupation troops to Italy. From there she sailed to the Philippines and made two trips to San Francisco. In November of 1945, she headed to Yokohama, Japan, where she picked up wounded American soldiers and a number of European citizens and diplomats that had been detained by the Japanese during World War II.

After a stop in America, the Europeans were transported to ports in England and France by the ship. A family of German missionaries that included three children, ages 7 through 10, who had been interned in Japan during the war, were in this group. The faded photograph on the left shows them onboard the ship during their long voyage home. In late June, 1946, the URUGUAY was turned back over to her peacetime owners, the US Maritime Commission.

14

Operation Paperclip

The passenger manifest for the USAT ARGENTINA when she arrived in New York on November 16, 1945, included 4,206 soldiers, 130 civilians, 124 nurses...and 88 German scientists. The Germans were kept apart from the other passengers during the trip from Le Harve, France by the Office of Strategic Services (OSS); the forerunner of the present day CIA organization. The 88 scientists were a small contingent of the over 1,500 German scientists, technicians and engineers brought to the United States at the end of World War II. Dubbed Operation Paper Clip, this effort was conducted in some secrecy. The Germans were dressed in shabby clothes and carried old, patched-up bags. They were escorted off the ship before any of the other passengers, and whisked away to unmarked buses parked in a remote area.

Operation Diaper

In late January, 1946, the USAT ARGENTINA was widely publicized as the first war bride ship in what the US Army called Operation Diaper. When she departed Southampton, England as a 'dependent transport', her passenger list included 452 war brides, thirty of them pregnant, one war groom and 173 children. The war brides found the ARGENTINA's accommodations, designed to transport thousands of soldiers at a time to be sparse and largely unsuited for women and children, for the most part. But they made do and adjusted to the circumstances [see photo on the right] on the way to their new homes. At first, the ladies were delighted with the meals provided. Real eggs, fresh-baked bread and fruit were amongst the things they had not seen for years. Unfortunately, three days outbound, the ship encountered very rough weather, and mal-de-mer became common amongst the passengers. The vessel arrived in New York harbor one day later than scheduled, due to a particularly stormy Winter North Atlantic crossing. The ship was greeted by the mayor of New York City, a band, news cameras and two hundred reporters.

15

Together Again

All three of vessels that constituted The Good Neighbor Fleet required considerable reconditioning and modernization following their lengthy and strenuous military service. Each of them was sent to separate shipyards for this purpose. The work was extensive and took months. In one case, a shipyard strike delayed the process for one of the ships for several months. But when the trio emerged to individually...and successfully...undergo sea trials, the refreshed SS ARGENTINA, the SS BRAZIL and the SS URUGUAY featured up-to-date passenger accommodations.

Gone were the dated interiors of the 1920s and the multi-tiered pipe racks of World War II. The contrast, if seen by any former peacetime passengers would have been startling. For example, the dining room onboard the SS BRAZIL [left] took on a very modern look and was a far cry from the vessel's original decor [compare this image with the one of the ship's First Class lounge on page 4]. The nine inch metallic gulls suspended above the diners' heads were created by decorative artist Hildreth Meiere, who had previously furnished art deco metal murals for the NNS-built liner AMERICA.

16

The trio of revitalized vessels was chartered again by the Maritime Commission to Moore-McCormack Lines. This time the steamship company elected to operate them under their own name, and the vessels' funnels sported that firm's insignia. The SS ARGENTINA was the first to sail again as a passenger liner. She left New York on January 1, 1948, completely sold out. THE SS URUGUAY followed the next month. It was not until May of 1948 before the SS BRAZIL was ready to join them. For the next several years, The Good Neighbor Fleet maintained a regular scheduled service to South America; much as they had done in the late 1930s.

On Friday morning, August 8, 1952, outbound on a normal 38-day cruise southward, the SS URUGUAY's starboard propeller struck a submerged object. The resultant vibration forced her to be diverted to Newport News for repairs. She arrived at her birthplace the next morning [left]. After being dry docked, it was determined

that just a single propeller blade was bent, but could be heated and properly reshaped without removal from the vessel. As shipyard workers toiled that weekend, Moore-McCormack quickly arranged for her 322 passengers to be treated to tours of Colonial Williamsburg, Yorktown and the Mariners' Museum. By 7 PM on Sunday, August 10th, the URUGUAY had resumed her briefly interrupted voyage.

17

An All-Too-Brief

Return to the

Pleasures of Pre-

War Passages As The Good Neighbor Fleet sailed into the latter half of the 20th century, they continued to offer 38-day round trips. Fares in 1948 were $1,030 for First Class and $630 for Tourist Class. These rates were advertised as being 'minimums'. That's probably because in observance of annual Rio Carnival events, the trio took turns for a few years staying docked for several additional days in Rio de Janeiro. Berthed at a quay convenient to the festivities [depicted below], each vessel served as a hotel for passengers who enjoyed an extended 45-day cruise.

18

When sailings to South America resumed in late 1948, the Moore-McCormack passenger ships still left New York on Fridays, but at 5 PM, rather than following the pre-war practice of midnight departures. On more than one occasion a wedding was performed at sea in the late 1940s and early 1950s. In addition to the typical activities provided during such leisurely voyages, Equator crossing ceremonies were usually performed...weather permitting...on an open deck of each ship [a typical ceremony is depicted below onboard the SS ARGENTINA].

In June of 1954, three days out from Rio de Janeiro, the daily routine onboard the SS ARGENTINA was disrupted when a baby boy arrived prematurely. Cared for by the vessel's capable medical staff, the attending physician's first name was selected by the parents to be the given name of their offspring.

All Good Things Must Ultimately End...

Although initially popular when they resumed service, over time the three ships that constituted The Good Neighbor Fleet suffered a decline in passengers. Jet air travel, which was in the process of dooming trans-Atlantic scheduled voyages, also impacted the choice of Moore-McCormack vessels for travel. Despite the updates provided the trio after the war, The Good Neighbor Fleet's interiors were still dated in places and lacked amenities routinely found in newer ships. In addition, their age and severity of service during World War II was beginning to result in increased maintenance costs. In one instance, one of these vessels suffered a machinery breakdown at sea, inconveniencing her passengers and disrupting the steamship lines' schedule. Multiple maritime union strikes, which impacted all American shipping companies often disrupted Moore-McCormack's sailing schedules. Also, demands for increases in crew size and pay added significantly to operating costs.

19

A large drop-off in passenger volume resulted in the SS BRAZIL being laid up between August 1953 and early 1954. When she resumed service, her trip south had only 251 passengers onboard. Moore-McCormack reluctantly made the decision to pare down The Good Neighbor Fleet from three to two ships. URUGUAY, the oldest and least efficient of the trio was returned to the Government after completing her final South America cruise on March 29, 1954. Shortly thereafter, she was towed to the James River Reserve Fleet. On what proved to be her penultimate movement...albeit at the end of a tow line...she moved slowly past NNS and the shipway where she was born. In 1964 she was sold for scrap and towed to Wilmington, Delaware where she was dismantled. In 1955, with the help of a large Government construction subsidy, Moore-McCormack Lines ordered two new passenger ships. The ships were delivered in 1958 by Ingalls Shipbuilding and named ARGENTINA and BRASIL [the Portuguese spelling]. That same year the remaining two vessels that originally had been The Good Neighbor Fleet were retired and laid up at the reserve fleet in the James River along their older sister. They also were sold for scrap in 1964. In 1969, the newer SS ARGENTINA and SS BRASIL, which had continued Moore-McCormack's South America passenger service, were laid up after losing money in spite of a Government operating subsidy. They were sold foreign in 1972. After passing through the hands of several owners and acquiring a variety of names along the way, they were scrapped in India in 2003/2004.

20

When The Good Neighbor Fleet faded forever into history, so did the following enthusiastic claim of the operating company:

"In the best tradition of American hospitality, you will find the special relaxation that makes international travel so much more refreshing. Those who prize and prefer travel in leisurely and uncrowded fashion know that the special pleasures

of a sea voyage cannot be matched. So many return again and again to the special convenience of travel in the Moore-McCormack Manner."

After disposing of their last two passenger ships in 1972, Moore-McCormack transitioned into an all-cargo carrying company. But the firm did not adjust quickly or well to an industry-wide transition from break-bulk to containerized cargo as a more economical way to move goods overseas. After selling off several cargo vessels, the residual of the firm was acquired in 1982 by a rival shipping firm; the United States Lines. Over time, that company also disappeared from the sea lanes...