THE
GOOD
NEIGHBOR
FLEET
Consisting
of a Trio of
Newport
NewsBuilt
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'.
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.
2
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 turboelectric machinery for
propulsion. The
following table provides
some of the principal
'as-built' characteristics
for CALIFORNIA and
her near-sister ships.
Ship Name
California
Virginia
Pennsylvania
NNS
Hull #
315
326
329
Length
Displacement
601 feet
613 feet
613 feet
30,260 tons
30,924 tons
30,924 tons
Shaft
Horsepower
13,500
13,500
13,500
Design
Speed
18 knots
18 knots
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.
3
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 nearsisters 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.
4
The VIRGINIA slid down the ways
on a very hot Saturday in midAugust 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.
5
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.
6
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.
7
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.
8
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.
9
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.
10
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.
11
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 zigzagging 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 70foot 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.
12
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.
13
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, freshbaked 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.
14
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-todate 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.
15
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 38day 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.
16
An All-Too-Brief
Return to the
Pleasures of PreWar 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.
17
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.
18
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 MooreMcCormack'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.
19
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 allcargo 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...
20