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RHMS Australis
SS ''America'' was an ocean liner and cruise ship built in the United States in 1940, for the United States Lines and designed by the noted American naval architect William Francis Gibbs. It carried many names in the 54 years between its construction and its 1994 wreck: SS ''America'' (carrying this name three different times during its career); troop transport USS ''West Point''; and SS ''Australis'', ''Italis'', ''Noga'', ''Alferdoss'', and ''American Star''. It served most notably in passenger service as ''America'' and the Greek-flagged ''Australis''. It was wrecked as the ''American Star'' at Playa de Garcey on Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands on 18 January 1994. The wreck deteriorated and completely collapsed into the sea. As of 2022, it is no longer visible on the ocean surface and has become an artificial reef. Construction (1936–1939) ''America'' was laid down under the first Maritime Commission contract on 22 August 1938, at Newport News, Virginia, by the N ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
United States Maritime Commission
The United States Maritime Commission (MARCOM) was an independent executive agency of the U.S. federal government that was created by the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, which was passed by Congress on June 29, 1936, and was abolished on May 24, 1950. The commission replaced the United States Shipping Board which had existed since World War I. It was intended to formulate a merchant shipbuilding program to design and build five hundred modern merchant cargo ships to replace the World War I vintage vessels that comprised the bulk of the United States Merchant Marine, and to administer a subsidy system authorized by the Act to offset the cost differential between building in the U.S. and operating ships under the American flag. It also formed the United States Maritime Service for the training of seagoing ship's officers to man the new fleet. As a symbol of the rebirth of the U.S. Merchant Marine and Merchant Shipbuilding under the Merchant Marine Act, the first vessel contracted for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
