SS NORMANDIE ANNIVERSARY

by John McFarlane (This article has been updated from and article in our Archives that was posted in February 2002)

Friday, February 9, 2007 is the 65th Anniversary of the tragic fire and capsizing of SS Normandie in New York Harbor. This photo essay will focus, for the most part, on those transatlantic liners that joined Normandie in the port during the early part of World War II. The following images show the changing scene at New York's "Luxury Liner Row" afterNormandie was laid up on August 31, 1939. During the first few days of the war the Cunard liners lost their peacetime livery and were painted in wartime gray. Queen Mary arrived in New York on September 5 and remained out of service at Cunard's Pier 90. Normandie as well as Ile-De-France retained their peacetime livery as they sat immobilized at French Line's Pier 88. Only the Italian Line continued a transatlantic service for several months with Rex and Conte Di Savoia operating from Pier 92.

Conte Di Savoia, Aquitania, Queen Mary, Normandie and Ile-De-France
line the piers of "Luxury Liner Row" in New York City, late 1939

A closer look at the remaining four liners subsequent to the departure of the Italian ship

In November, 1939 Aquitania sailed from New York bound for Halifax and the beginning of her war duties. The new Mauretania, in service for less than six months, arrived in New York and berthed on the north side of Pier 90 and joined the line up with Queen Mary and Normandie. The Italian liners Rex and Conte Di Savoia continued their service from Pier 92.

February 1940, Rex sails for Italy as Mauretania, Queen Mary
and Normandie remain idle for the present time

In early March 1940, Mauretania was suddenly moved to another berth and docked on the northside of Pier 86. On the other side of Pier 86, for a few days, was Cunard's Franconia, both vessels in wartime gray. On March 7, 1940, much to the surprise of the port authorities the world's largest ship Queen Elizabeth sailed into New York having secretly raced across the Atlantic from her builders in Scotland.

The new Queen Elizabeth arrives off Pier 90
to join Queen Mary, Normandie, Mauretania and Franconia

QUEEN ELIZABETH is shown docked at Pier 90 in the company of MAURETANIA, NORMANDIE and QUEEN MARY

On the evening of March 20, 1940 Mauretania sailed out of New York for Sydney via the Panama Canal. The next day Queen Mary sailed for Sydney via Cape Town, both liners were to be converted for trooping in Australia. Queen Elizabeth alone kept Normandie company, now moving to the south side of Pier 90 within the same slip as the French ship.

Normandie and Queen Elizabeth share the same slip in New York
Queen Elizabeth eventually sailed from New York on November 13, 1940. Normandie was now alone

Tragedy strikes, February 9, 1942 as fire guts the former great liner

As Normandie was in the process of being converted into a troop transport at her Pier 88 berth a fire broke out in the Grand Saloon. During the afternoon of February 9th the fire rapidly spread to other parts of the ship. The fireboats responding to the alarms pumped water into the liner and by late afternoon she began to list to port.

Smoke from the fire spread over parts of the city
During the night of February 9-10 she gradually turned on her side in the slip between Piers 88 and 90

The former French Line flagship lay on her side in the mud for over 18 months. She was finally righted and in late 1943 moved to another berth in New York. At the end of the war she was declared a total loss and sold for scrap. She was scrapped at Port Newark, New Jersey in 1946-47.

In June 1946 the former North German-Lloyd express liner Europa was ceded to France to replace Normandie. Liberté entered French Line service in August 1950.

French Line's SS Liberté berthed at Pier 88 North River on February 10, 1952
ten years after the destruction of Normandie at the same New York berth.
(Photograph John McFarlane)

THE END

Photo credits unless otherwise noted: National Archives, Library of Congress, and Associated Press