United States Lines - 1920s

1920s

The company was formed with three ships from the tonnage of the failed United States Mail Steamship Company. Two of the ships, America and George Washington, were originally German vessels that had been seized during World War I and kept as reparations. America and George Washington made New York–Bremen runs, while Centennial State ran from New York to London. One of the founders was Kermit Roosevelt, son of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt.

Additional ships were acquired in 1922 and renamed after various US presidents. The 52,000 ton Leviathan, formerly the Vaterland and one of the largest liners in the world, was acquired in 1923.

Throughout the 1920s the line accumulated debt, and in March 1929 the line was sold to P.W. Chapman Company, and reorganized as "United States Lines Inc." of Delaware. The stock market crash made matters worse, and in 1931 the remaining ships were sold to "United States Lines Company" of Nevada.