SHIPS OF THE U.S. MERCHANT MARINE 



IT IS pleasant to know that Americans can now travel to Europe on 

 some of the finest, fastest and most luxurious ships afloat, ships that 

 are sailing under their own flag. And when we are contemplating a cruise 

 in southern waters, all of us should keep the thought in mind that there, 

 too, American ships are giving perfect service. 



Many people in this country are under the impression that the Ameri- 

 can Merchant Marine transported few troops during the war, and that the 

 majority of our armed forces sailed on British-flag ships. Nothing could 

 be farther from the truth, as you will realize as you peruse this book, par- 

 ticularly the section on our splendid America, which was called the U.S.S. 

 West Point during her wartime career. 



The West Point was the largest vessel in the Naval Transportation 

 Service, and carried more American troops than any other transport ex- 

 cept those gigantic twins, the Queen Mary and the Queen Elizabeth. 

 During the war years the West Point set a record for sustained operations, 

 strict adherence to high-pressure schedules, and minimum harbor time — 

 a record unsurpassed by any other ship. 



In a little more than four years of service, this largest and fastest of 

 American transports sailed with more than 450,000 soldiers, sailors and 

 marines of all Allied nations, carrying them more than 400,000 nautical 

 miles (450,000 statute miles) to strategic areas for deployment against the 

 enemy. The service of this single American ship takes a high place among 

 the accomplishments which contributed to the successful conclusion of 

 the global war. 



The 26,454-ton West Point, originally the America, was built for the 

 United States Lines in 1940 by the Newport News Shipbuilding and 

 Drydock Company. She was designed and constructed with an eye to 

 the future. Her navigation bridge, her lounges and her passenger and 

 officer quarters epitomized the luxury possible in a modern passenger 

 liner. 



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