1846. At this time, NCL received permission to create US-flagged cruise operation to be named NCL America. 26, Palma: Tue. That destination was later changed to Dubai, and in 2009 the aged liner left there under tow as the Platinum II for the shipbreaking yards in Alang, India. In July 2007, Norwegian Cruise Line announced that Oceanic had been sold with later reports claiming the ship had been purchased by an American company. In mid-2006, Independence was renamed Oceanic amid speculation that the veteran liner may be scrapped. However, the ship continued to degrade and was renamed the Oceanic in 2006 without ever sailing for NCL. In 2009, the classic ship the SS Independence was scrapped at the Alang, India ship scrapyard. 19 (for Capri, Rome, and Florence), Genoa: Thu. USS Pennsylvania, a 3241-ton (burden) 120-gun ship of the line, was the largest sailing warship ever built for the US Navy. Artwork Click on photo for larger view. SS Independence was an American built ocean liner, then cruise ship which entered service in February 1951 for American Export Lines. in 1979, however, both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives approved their return to the States. American Hawaii Cruises Inc became part of the American Global Line, Inc, in 1982 and restored the original name Independence to the liner once again. 15, Naples: Mon. INDEPENDENCE sailed April 19, 1962 for Sixth Fleet duty in support of President … It was intended for use as a trans-Atlantic passenger liner--yet, it adhered to post-World War II U.S. Navy specifications to permit rapid conversion into a troop ship, with a capacity for 5,000 men and their equipment. Independence, with assigned Carrier Air Group 7 (CVG-7), was deployed to the Mediterreanean Sea from 19 April to 27 August 1962. Download Image of An elevated starboard quarter view of the aircraft carrier USS INDEPENDENCE (CV-62), foreground, sailing by the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (CVN-69). [4][5], In February 2003, Independence was sold at auction for US$4 million to Norwegian Cruise Line, which also acquired SS United States. [4], In January 1974, both Independence and Constitution were sold to the Atlantic Far East Line Inc., Monrovia, being part of the massive C.Y. The EISENHOWER is on deployment and is being relieved by the INDEPENDENCE. However, Constitution, renamed Oceanic Constitution, was laid up at Hong Kong on August 4, 1974. The tug apparently lost all power and setting the two vessels adrift some 25 km off Alang. 17. The SS Constitution also had an interesting history, including starring roles in the I Love Lucy television series and in the tear-jerker movie, An Affair to Remember. The USS Independence name has been used on seven US Navy vessels since the founding of the country in 1776. Apr 29, 2016 - Commissioned in 1959, Independence served in virtually all combat zones including support of Lebanese ooperatins in the Mediterranean. Mar. Thehoneyedmoon: uss-edsall: While sailing in the Mediterranean sea, in 1962, the American aircraft carrier USS Independence (CV-62) flashed the Italian Amerigo Vespucci with light signal asking "Who are you? Mar. This was the unengaged side of the ship. 4 (Cyprus), Beirut: Mon. Laid up due to the company's financial problems, many of Constitution's parts were used on Independence. Indian authorities alleged that it had been renamed and supplied with falsified papers in order to evade regulations on toxic materials.[2][9]. The ship was scrapped on the spot throughout the remainder of 2010 and the wreck was reportedly completely gone by January 2011. [11] Capable of cruising at 26 knots, the liner accommodated 1,000 passengers, and was designed to accommodate 5,000 soldiers during wartime. There the cruise ship was transferred to the American Global Line, Inc, was rechristened by Princess Grace of Monaco under the ship's original name, Constitution, and commenced cruising out of Honolulu in June 1982. Mr. Disney loved cruising, and most Disney Cruise Line cast members (employees) think he would have loved Disney Cruise Line. In 1991 she shifted homeport to Yokosuka, Japan as America's only forward deployed carrier. The Independence was subsequently moored in April 2002 with the Suisun Reserve Fleet in Suisan Bay, California near the USS Iowa. Jan 21, 2013 - This Pin was discovered by Brando Joseph. Both the Independence and the Constitution sported black hulls and American export lines funnel colors. 8, (for Cairo, the Pyramids, and Luxor), Istanbul: Thu. The USS Constitution anchored in Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA is the oldest navy ship a floated and opened to public visitation free of The SS Independence was originally launched during the heyday of ocean travel of the 1950's but was treated to more than $78 million in refurbishments from 1994 to 2001 by her various owners. After much controversy and with demands that the ship be returned to the U.S. for being illegally exported, Platinum II was abandoned at Gopnath in a region south of the Alang on the Gujarat coast. Celebrations were held on board during Independence's 1,000th voyage in August 1999. (NHHC Photo # NH 85251-K) Correspondents aboard an LCU view the badly damaged USS INDEPENDENCE (CVL-22) on 3 July 1946, two days after the “Able Day” burst. The fifth USS Independence (CV/CVA-62) was an aircraft carrier of the United States Navy. In April 1996, however, American Hawaii Cruises decided to retire the then 46-year-old Constitution due to high running costs and required renovations. Bankruptcy - The end of an era & What of the Ship? NCL planned to add the Independence to its U.S.-flagged fleet and hoped to have the ship carrying passengers by 2004. After the demise of Constitution, the older sister ship became the last US built ocean liner to sail under the American flag. Mar. Independence was then operated by American Global Line between 1982 and 1996, and again American Hawaii Cruises until being laid up in San Francisco in 2001. Independence was renamed Oceanic Independence and after a refit commenced cruising with a new passenger capacity of 950 passengers. Dedicated to the ship and all her crew over her decades of service, ... Keep On Sailing-CV62 roaklin. after almost 40 years of active service. INDEPENDENCE operated off the Virginia Capes for the next year on training maneuvers, and departed August 4, 1960 for her first cruise to the Mediterranean. In 1980 C.Y. English: The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Independence (CVA-62) underway with the Italian Marina Militare training ship Amerigo Vespucci on 12 July 1962. Oceanic Independence continued to cruise until being laid up as well at Hong Kong on January 17, 1976. The 7 Best Alaska Cruises for Families of 2021, Norwegian Gem Cruise Ship Profile and Tour, All the Carnival Cruise Ships and Where They'll Take You, How Holland America Names Its "Dam" Ships, The 8 Best Cruises for Solo Travelers of 2021, Exploring the Celestyal Crystal Cruise Ship, Cruise with Mickey and All the Disney Characters on the Disney Magic, The Top Things to Do in Plymouth, England, Explore the Celebrity Infinity Cruise Ship, Where to Go in 2021: 10 Future Trips You Can Start Planning Now. Between 1974 and 1982 the vessel sailed as Oceanic Independence for Atlantic Far East Lines and American Hawaii Cruises, before reverting to the original name. Before sailing back to Yokosuka, Japan, Independence made its last port call of the deployment in May 1997 to Hong Kong. Launched on June 3, 1950 and completed January 1951, the new liner's first master was Captain Hugh Lee Switzer (1898–1991), former captain SS La Guardia, who held that post from 1951 to 1964. In 1980, the ship was waiting when the American hostages were freed from Iran. She arrived at Portsmouth, England, 13 June, called at Copenhagen; then proceeded into Kronstadt 29 July 1837 to receive a visit from the Emperor Nicholas I of Russia. SS Independence, 23,719 GRT, and the 23,754 GRT, SS Constitution were built by Bethlehem Steel Corporation in yard 1618 of its Fore River Shipyard in Quincy Massachusetts for the American Export Lines to operate on the US Mediterranean service. Mar. [2] There the rusting ship's hull broke in two aft of the smokestacks (making refloating impossible) and was scrapped on the spot.[3]. As they were no longer American-flagged ships, C.Y. In 2009 Oceanic was illegally renamed Platinum II and departed Dubai for Alang, being towed by a tug Barakhoda. United States Environmental Protection Agency, "Last U.S. ocean liner heads into the unknown", "Independence sails into a new set of problems", "Thieves strike at ship anchored for breaking off Gujarat", "The "Independence": First U.S. ship in 12 years lacks nothing but 3,000 ashtrays", Telstar Logistics: Exploring the Ghost Ship SS, SF-HD.com: Fogrise: Time lapse including departure of SS, Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 2010, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=SS_Independence&oldid=1000631473, Ships of American Export-Isbrandtsen Lines, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2008, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 16 January 2021, at 00:09. Mar. Both ships continued on the Mediterranean run, however, like most Trans-Atlantic liners of the day, passenger numbers dropped and the service was suspended in 1967. According to Life magazine, "It will house passengers in Henry Dreyfuss-designed cabins, apartments, and 'penthouses,' keep their shipboard spirits up with branches of Fifth Avenue shops, handsome public rooms and bars decorated with old tattoo designs, collections of ships in bottles and Early American silver. The Independence was on her way to Suisan Bay but was taken back to San Francisco for repairs. Independence's port visit was the last U.S. naval port visit to the territory before its handover to China on 1 July 1997. Tung was not able to operate them within American waters. During the next few years, she saw action in … The remainder of the year was spent in training and readiness operations off the Atlantic coast. The Independence was part of a large and heavily armed squadron that the Navy sent to North Africa to end the reign of the Barbary Coast Pirates once and for all. In 2006 the ship was renamed Oceanic and, after being mothballed for seven years, left San Francisco for Singapore on February 8, 2008. The 1970’s saw USS Independence carrying out more operations in the Mediterranean. 22 (for Rapallo, Santa Margherita, Portofino and the Italian Riviera), Cannes: Sat. Independence, sailed exclusively around the Hawaiian Islands 12 months of the year on week-long cruises. The number of passengers was decreased to 950. This list includes ships that are owned and leased by the U.S. Navy; ships that are formally commissioned, by way of ceremony, and non-commissioned. She entered service in 1959, with much of her early years spent in the Mediterranean Fleet. This classic ship was retired from service in 1995 and sank while under tow to be scrapped. Sail plan. This reconstruction resulted in the loss of half of the glass-enclosed promenade deck and the added height forward. (US flagging is a valuable competitive advantage, as the Passenger Service Act prohibits non-US lines from transporting passengers from one US port to another without stopping at a foreign port, and in particular it permits 7-day Hawaii cruises. Although probably no more toxic than most ships built in the 1950s and 1960s, the vessel was deemed such for the minute amounts of radioactive materials found in the smoke detection systems and for the usual asbestos and PCBs contained in ships of that generation. In 1959 both ships were sent to Newport News where their forward superstructure was moved 22 feet forward and lifted up by one deck in order to increase First Class passenger capacity by more than 100 berths and altered overall accommodations to 484 First Class, 350 Cabin Class, and 254 Tourist Class passengers. The USS Independence was the U.S. Navy’s first ship of the line, the biggest, most powerful warships of the day. Independence was on the way to Norfolk, Virginia (USA), for commencement of initial testing and evaluation of the aluminum vessel before sailing to its homeport in San Diego, California (USA). Carmel), Larnaca: Sun. Independence's sister ship, SS Constitution, sank while under tow in 1997 en route to be scrapped. According to Paul Silverstone, "The Sailing Navy 1775-1854", USS Independence was originally designed and built as a 74 (188ft bp; 2257t) with an 1817 armament of 63 x 32lbr + 24 x 32pdr carronades and later re-built/razee'ed as a 54 gun heavy frigate with an 1836 armament of 8 x 8in shell guns + 48 x 32pdr. The ship is one of the few major cruise ships built in the United States, having been constructed at the Bethlehem Steel Company in Quincy, Massachusetts for American Export Lines of New York. On October 19, 2001, American Global Line, owners of the American Hawaii Line declared bankruptcy. Feb. 25 (for Pompeii, Amalfii, and Sorrento), Athens: Tue, Feb, 27 (for the Parthenon and Acropolis), Haifa: Thu. Independence was then operated by American Global Line between 1982 and 1996, and again American Hawaii Cruises until being laid up in San Francisco in 2001. After the collapse of American Hawaii Cruises, the Independence sailed to the Alameda Naval Air Station in California. 3.25 USS INDEPENDENCE (CV-22) and USS SARATOGA (CV-3) burning at Bikini Atoll, 1 July 1946. Stunning new pictures from a 1946 atomic weapon test on a hundred US ships have been revealed. The SS Independence had her maiden voyage in February 1951, sailing from New York City to the Mediterranean on a 53-day cruise that took the new ship and her passengers around the Mediterranean Sea. After having been turned away from those scrap yards due to hazardous materials on board, the then 58-year-old ship was grounded off Alang. By the time the SS Independence returned to New York City, this voyage had clocked over 13,000 miles, and the ship had visited 22 ports of call. The SS Independence had a sister ship, the SS Constitution, which was built in 1951. [10], Independence measured 683 feet (208 m) in length and 23,719 gross register tons under the US measurement system; under European measurement rules both ships would have been around 29,500 GRT. With the 2001 bankruptcy of American Hawaii Cruises, the owners of the American Hawaii Line, Independence became the property of the US Maritime Administration and sailed from Honolulu to San Francisco, arriving on November 8, 2001 to be greeted and led by the fireboat Phoenix. 19. In a dramatic turn-around, the Ministry of Environment and Forests intervened and gave their approval, granting Platinum II permission to be beached at Alang's shipbreaking yard. On November 8, she sailed past San Francisco ’s Pier 39 at 10:30 am. According to local sources, Platinum II was laying off shore with guards on board to protect the ship from looting and vandals. Mar. Mar. The USS Independence brigantine of 1776 began carrying the name while a 1776 sloop followed. The tug that delivered the ship into Gujarat waters had likely already been beached for scrapping, so another vessel would have been required to pull Platinum II off the embankment for the short trip to Alang. On March 5, 2002, her mast hit the Carquinez Bridge while being towed by four tugs. Late American devices include 125 feet (38 m) of picture windows in the observation lounge, polarized glass in portholes to control light and glare, and bedside telephones from which a passenger can phone anyone within 5,000 miles."[12]. Mar.1 (for Israel: Tel-Aviv, The Holy Land, Nazareth, Tiberias, Capernaum, Jerusalem-in-Israel, Mt. Artwork Click on photo for larger view. Between 1974 and 1982 the vessel sailed as Oceanic Independence for Atlantic Far East Lines and American Hawaii Cruises, before reverting to the original name. Starboard side, under sail. In 1974, American Export Lines sold the SS Independence to Atlantic Far East Line, and she was renamed the Oceanic Independence. An Act, 2 January 1813 – for the construction of the U.S. Navy’s first Ships-of-the-line USS Independence was the first ship-of-the-line launched for the USN from the Boston (Charlestown) Navy Yard on 22 June 1814: While rated for 74-guns, Independence was armed with 87 guns when she was launched. After repairs in San Francisco the vessel returned to service. [N 1] Independence's first regular non-cruise transatlantic sailing departed New York for Genoa on April 12 although that US-Italy service was later changed to run between New York and Naples. your own Pins on Pinterest [7], Global Marketing Systems, the last owner of Oceanic, was fined $518,500 for exporting the ship for scrap without prior removal of toxins such as asbestos and PCBs.[8]. On September 24, 1981, the cruise ship sustained minor damage off the coast of Nawiliwili, however passengers were safely taken ashore and flown home. [3], While under investigation by the Gujarati anti-terrorist unit for smuggling radioactive, hazardous, and toxic waste to organized crime, the former Independence was looted in May–June 2010 during a cyclone. Oceanic was towed out of San Francisco Bay on February 8, 2008 for Singapore but its destination was changed while en route to Dubai[citation needed] Rumors had been swirling that the ship was ultimately destined for a scrapyard in India or Bangladesh,[6] but had been stopped due to a complaint filed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency that the ship was being towed to an overseas scrap yard. In 2006 the ship … This Cruise Ship's Final Fate Was the Alang Scrapyard in India. [3] In March 2010 the vessel's hull cracked aft of the accommodation (roughly at one third of the length from the stern) and the entire hull was lying at an angle of about 35 degrees. Sailing ship named USS Constitution anchoring in Boston (Massachusetts, USA) at winter time in sunny ambiance USS Constitution. By the time the SS Independence returned to New York City, this voyage had clocked over 13,000 miles, and the ship had visited 22 ports of call. “Training ship Amerigo Vespucci, Italian Navy,” was the response.“ The Independence reportedly signaled back, "You are the most beautiful ship in the world.” # SeaStorySaturday The third ship to bear the name, this Independence was the first ship of the line commissioned by the US Navy. Until its bankruptcy in late 2001, American Hawaii Cruises' classic U.S.-flag ocean liner, the S.S. Another tug was sent to assist Barakhoda and crew of nine. 18. American Hawaii Cruises bought the ship in 1980 and her passenger count was decreased to 750. Mar. USS Pennsylvania was a four-decked 140-gun ship of the line of the United States Navy, named for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 24 (for Nice, Monte Carlo, Grasse, and the French Riviera), Barcelona: Mon. Tung transferred Oceanic Independence to their newly established, US based American Hawaii Cruises Inc. After extensive repairs and a refit at the Kawasaki Dockyard Co. Ltd, Kobe Japan, Oceanic Independence was configured to accommodate 750 one class passengers and was listed as being 20,220 GRT. Sadly, the SS Independence made her last trip across the ocean in February 2008 when she was towed out to sea from San Francisco. Oceanic Independence departed on a maiden cruise in June, 1980, operating 7-Day cruises around the Hawaiian Islands from Honolulu. Independence recommissioned on 26 March 1837 and sailed from Boston on 20 May 1837 as flagship of Commodore John B. Nicholson. The vessel, as originally designed, was made entirely of non-combustible or fire-resistant materials and featured extra hull plating--and two engine rooms so that if one were damaged, the other could keep the ship moving at a relatively high speed. Discover (and save!) Two days later a steam boat arrived to transport Mr. Dallas and his family to St. Petersburg. 5, (for Damascus, Baalbeck, Jerusalem-in-Hashemite-Transjordan, Bethlehem, Mount of Olives), Alexandria:Thu. USS Independence (LCS-2) - is the lead ship of the Independence-class littoral combat ship. Free for commercial use, no attribution required. Actress Grace Kelly sailed the SS Constitution across the Atlantis Ocean on the way to marry Prince Ranier in 1956. As US flagging requires US-built ships, no other major cruise operation is US-flagged.). 27 (Capital of the Balearic Islands), Gibraltar: Wed. Mar. Feb.17 (for Marrakesh, Rabat, Fez, and Meknes), Cadiz: Mon, Feb.19 (for Seville, Granada, and the Alhambra), Gibraltar: Tue, Feb. 20, Tangier: Tue, Feb. 20, Malaga: Wed, Feb. 21, Algiers: Feb. 22, (for the Kasbah), Palermo: Sat, Feb. 24 (for Monreale), Naples: Sun. The United States Navy has over 490 ships in both active service and the reserve fleet, with approximately 90 more in either the planning and ordering stages or under construction, according to the Naval Vessel Register and published reports. Linda Paull Garrison is a travel writer who has taken over 150 cruises and spent over 1,100 days at sea. 4, 11:00 AM. By 1999, the SS Constitution had "lived" long enough to sail 1000 voyages. … There, she added her great strength to the peace-keeping power of the 6th Fleet in that troubled region, remaining in the eastern Mediterranean until her return to Norfolk March 3, 1961. (NHHC Photo # 80-G-627512) ", the full rigged ship answered "Training ship Amerigo Vespucci, Italian Navy". SS Independence was an American built ocean liner, then cruise ship which entered service in February 1951 for American Export Lines. Independence, 1815. The SS Independence had her maiden voyage in February 1951, sailing from New York City to the Mediterranean on a 53-day cruise that took the new ship and her passengers around the Mediterranean Sea. 28, Lisbon: Thu. When USS Independence encountered a full-rigged ship in the Mediterranean in 1962, the carrier signaled to ask the sailing vessel to identify itself. 74-gun ship of the line. In 1984 passenger capacity was reduced to 800 and in 1987 both ships were officially reregistered in Honolulu. On October 30, 2001 the grand lady SS Independence departed Honolulu at 1300 hrs sailing for San Francisco. Launched on 22nd June 1814, during the War of 1812, she immediately saw action alongside the frigate USS Constitution defending the approaches to Boston Harbor. English: The U.S. Navy littoral combat ship USS Independence (LCS-2) arrives at Mole Pier at Naval Air Station Key West, Florida (USA), on 29 March 2010. In 1994 Independence was withdrawn from service and headed to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry dock Company for an extensive refit. Those men would have really been packed into the ship since she was designed to carry about 1,100 cruise ship passengers. Columbus. Tung group. In February 2003, the Independence was sold at auction for $4 million to Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL). She was the site of the first female US pilot to gain carrier qualification in 1979. During their heyday, many movies were made on board with such stars as Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr and many others. 29 (for Cinfra, Beiem, Estoril and Fatima), New York: Wed. Apr. In October 2009, a ship claiming to be the "SS Platinum-II" was turned away from the Alang breaker yard in India when it was discovered the ship was actually the former Oceanic. On February 10, 1951, Independence departed from North River Pier 84 at the foot of West 44th St in New York on a 53-day, 13,000 plus mile maiden voyage cruise to the Mediterranean during which the ship visited 22 ports in Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Sicily, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Cyprus, Israel, France, Gibraltar and Portugal before returning to New York on April 4. Drawing from sketches by John Easterly. She was the largest sailing warship ever built for the United States, and the equivalent of a first-rate of the British Royal Navy , but her only cruise was a single trip from Delaware Bay to Chesapeake Bay. Mar. Independence. In November that year there were rumors that the ship was to be sold to Shannon SA, of Panama, but this did not happen. Itinerary: New York: Sat, Feb 10, 1951, Madeira: Fri., Feb.16, Casablanca: Sat. Independence became the first aircraft carrier in the world to make a port visit to Malaysia. Oceanic Independence remained laid up and was renamed Sea Luck I for a short time but soon after renamed Oceanic Independence once more.[4]. [8], After running aground in February 2010, mud had made it into Platinum II's cracked hull. Later news reports from India claimed the ship, aground and abandoned at Gopnath, some ten miles south of Alang, was beginning to suffer structural cracks and would never be able to be moved from there. They also carried high-profile passengers such as President Harry Truman, Alfred Hitchcock, Walt Disney, even King Saud. On board for her record passage across the Atlantic Ocean to England was the Honorable George Dallas, Minister to Russia. The 1814 model was a ship of the line while the 1918 SP-3676 was a steamer (serving as the Neville during World War 2). With Independence having been successful in 1980, Oceanic Constitution was refitted in Taiwan and departed for Honolulu with a passenger capacity of 1,088 and listed at 20,199 GRT. For the next 15+ years, the SS Independence visited the Mediterranean many times, often carrying such famous guests as President Harry S. Truman, Alfred Hitchcock, and Walt Disney. 74-gun ship of the line. Mar. In its July 2007 interim report to shareholders, Star Cruises Limited (the parent company of NCL) disclosed it had sold the Oceanic, but did not name the buyer. The US ship replied "You are the most beautiful ship in the world". Also, reports of the hull being cracked (an unsubstantiated charge made by the ship's owners to urge the Gujarat Maritime Board to allow the ship to be beached in November) appeared to have some truth. Departure from Tokyo Bay with the Vincennes, July 19, 1846. She was the fourth and final member of the Forrestal class of conventionally powered supercarriers. Her service to her country and its allies continued until 1998 when she was decommissioned in Bremerton, Wa.