United States Lines - 1930s

1930s

In 1932, the SS Manhattan, at a cost of approximately $21 million dollars became the first ship actually built for the line, followed the next year by Washington. In 1940, a new America joined them.

In 1932, United States Lines offered to build a passenger liner, called U.S. Express Liner, which would also double as a mail ship, which would dramatically decrease the time of delivery for trans-Atlantic mail by catapulting an aircraft when it was within range. Congress refused to give a guarantee on trans-Atlantic postal rates and it was never built.