The day after the ship's Launched Hitler invaded Poland. The Neutrality act closed French and British ports to American ships. Unable to sail to Europe United States Lines diverted the ship to cruises to the Caribbean and West Coast. In this picture the ship transits the Panama Canal on her way to San Francisco. The American flag and name on the side of the ship were to identify the ship as "neutral" to German submarines.

Picture from the Harry Wildman collection.                        return