Normandie's novel design and lavish interiors led many to consider her the greatest of ocean liners. Despite this, she was not a commercial success and relied partly on government subsidy to operate. During service as the flagship of the CGT, she made 139 westbound transatlantic crossings from her home port of Le Havre to New York City. Normandie held the Blue Riband for the fastest transatlantic crossing at several points during her service career, during which the RMS Queen Mary was her main rival.
During the Second World War, Normandie was seized by U.S. authorities at New York and renamed USS Lafayette. In 1942, the liner caught fire while being converted to a troopship, capsized onto her port side and came to rest on the mud of the Hudson River at Pier 88, the site of the current New York Passenger Ship Terminal. Although salvaged at great expense, restoration was deemed too costly and she was scrapped in October 1946. (Intro from Wikipedia)
October 1(?), 1929 - Saint-Nazaire, France - Work begins on a new drydock at the Penhoët shipyard, projected to build the ocean liner "SS Normandie"
January 26, 1931 - Saint-Nazaire - Laid down - Chantiers de Penhoët, Saint-Nazaire, France
October 29, 1932 - Saint-Nazaire - "SS Normandie" is launched in front of 200,000 spectators and French President Albert Lebrun
March 27, 1935 - Saint-Nazaire - Moved into her dry dock for installation of her propeller set and rudder, examination of her underwater parts and a final paint job before her maiden voyage
May 11, 1935 - Le Havre - SS Normandie arrives from sea trials to her new homeport
May 29, 1935 - Le Havre | Southampton, England - Voyage#1: "SS Normandie" sets sail to New York on her maiden voyage, with 50,000 people watching her off. First stop at Southampton on the same day =(START)
May 30, 1935 - Off Scilly Islands - SS Normandie passes off the Scilly Islands
June 3, 1935 - Pier 88, New York City - "SS Normandie" reaches New York after 4 days, 3 hours and 2 minutes, averaging 29-knots, with 100,000 spectators lined at the harbor
June 7, 1935 - Pier 88 - Sets sail to Le Havre
June 12, 1935 - Plymouth, England | Le Havre - Stopover at Plymouth (With Walt Disney and Richard Dix), crossing the Atlantic even faster than the that of the outward voyage. Arrives at Le Havre on the same day
June 15, 1935 - Le Havre - Voyage#2: SS Normandie sets sail to New York, via Southampton
June 20, 1935 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
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| SS Normandie arrives in New York |
June 27, 1935 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre
July 10, 1935 - Le Havre - Voyage#3: Sets sail to New York
July 15, 1935 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
July 19, 1935 - Le Havre - Voyage#4: Sets sail for a cruise to southern England
July 20, 1935 - The Solent (between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight) - SS Normandie anchors in the Solent
July 22, 1935 - Le Havre - Returns from the cruise
August 25(?), 1935 - Le Havre - An electromagnetic obstacle detector (ancestor of radar) is installed. SS Normandie is the first liner to have it
August 28, 1935 - Le Havre - Sets sail to New York
October 2, 1935 - Le Havre - Voyage#8: Sets sail to New York via Southampton
October 7, 1935 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
October 9, 1935 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to France
October 14, 1935 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre
October 16(?), 1935 - Le Havre - Voyage#9: SS Normandie sets sail to New York via Southampton
October 21(?), 1935 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
October 23(?), 1935 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to France
October 28, 1935 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre. End of the season after eight crossings between Le Havre and New York
April 1(?), 1936 - Le Havre - New propellers arrive and begin being installed. Tonnage increases from 79,280 to 83,423
April 28, 1936 - Island of Ouessant/Ushant - Sea trials until April 30th
May 5, 1936 - Le Havre - On the eve of her 10th trip, a during a dive to check the condition of the propellers, a diver notices the disappearance of the propeller on the central port side. There were only 3 propellers left ... Canceling the next day's voyage would be disastrous in terms of communication as the ship is nearly full. SS Normandy enters dry dock. Due to the lack of a spare 4-blade propeller before departure for New York, the ship was fitted with two 3-blade propellers, old model, with central shafts and two 4-blade propellers with side shafts. The technical teams work tirelessly so that the next day the ship can go back to sea.
May 6, 1936 - Le Havre - SS Normandy, according to schedule, resumes transatlantic service to New York. After the stopover in Southampton, at full speed the vibrations reappear almost as intense as before. The proof is thus made that they come from the propellers with 3 blades, but the passengers are furious
May 10(?), 1936 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
May 12(?), 1936 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to Le Havre
May 16(?), 1936 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre
May 20, 1936 - Le Havre - Sets sail to New York with new 4-blade propellers
May 24(?), 1936 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
May 26(?), 1936 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to Le Havre
May 30(?), 1936 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre
June 22, 1936 - Off Ryde Pier, Isle of Wight - Sets sail from Le Havre - Stopover at Southampton - a Blackburn Baffin, S5162 of A Flight, RAF Gosport, flown by Lt Guy Kennedy Horsey on torpedo-dropping practice, buzzes SS Normandie a mile (2 km) off Ryde Pier and collides with a derrick which was transferring a motor car belonging to Arthur Evans, MP, onto a barge alongside the ship. The aircraft crashes onto SS Normandie's bow. The pilot is taken off by tender, but the wreckage of the aircraft remains on board SS Normandie as she had to sail due to the tide. It was carried to Le Havre
June 26(?), 1936 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
July 1, 1936 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to Le Havre
July 6(?), 1936 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre
July 8(?), 1936 - Le Havre - SS Normandie sets sail to New York via Southampton
July 12(?), 1936 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
July 15, 1936 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to Le Havre
July 20(?), 1936 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre
October 14, 1936 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to Le Havre, via Southampton
October 19, 1936 - Southampton, England | Le Havre - Arrives in Southampton. Sails to Le Havre. Arrives in the afternoon
December 3(?), 1936 - Le Havre - Sets sail to New York
December 7, 1936 - Pier 88, New York City - SS Normandie arrives in New York (with Salvador Dalí aboard)
December 9(?), 1936 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to Le Havre
December 14(?), 1936 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre
March 11, 1937 - Le Havre - Resumes service after an overhaul, which included new engines and propellers. Sets sail to New York After being held up for 15 hours by a French shipping strike
March 18, 1937 - Le Havre - Voyage#25: Sets sail to New York
March 23, 1937 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
March 25(?), 1937 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to Le Havre
March 30(?), 1937 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre
July 29, 1937 - Le Havre - Sets sail to New York
August 1, 1937 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York in 3 days and 23 hours. Regains the Blue Riband with an average of 32-knots
August 4, 1937 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to Le Havre
August 8, 1937 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre - SS Normandie crosses the Atlantic in 3 days, 22 hours and 07 minutes, improving its previous record
August 9, 1937 - Le Havre - Underwater inspection finds erosion and deformation at the ends of the propellers
August 30(?), 1937 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
September 1, 1937 - after leaving New York - After leaving New York, the lateral starboard propeller bends and the speed of rotation is reduced
September 6, 1937 - Le Havre - The center port propeller disappears with the cone of the propeller shaft on which it was fitted. Arrives in Le Havre
September 8, 1937 - Le Havre - Unable to postpone the departure, SS Normandie sets sail to New York with just 3 propellers
November 3, 1937 - Le Havre - Sets sail to New York, via Southampton
November 7(?), 1937 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
November 9(?), 1937 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to Le Havre
November 14(?), 1937 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre
January 1(?), 1938 - Le Havre - Technical pause in antecipation of the Rio de Janeiro cruise
January 29, 1938 - Le Havre - Voyage#43: Sets sail to New York
February 3, 1938 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
February 5, 1938 - Pier 88 - Sets sail to Rio de Janeiro
February 8(?), 1938 - Nassau, Bahamas - Stop in Nassau, Bahamas
February 12(?), 1938 - Port of Spain, Trinidad - Stop in Port of Spain, Trinidad
February 16, 1938 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - SS Normandie arrives in Rio's Guanabara Bay
February 18, 1938 - Rio de Janeiro - Sets sail to New York
February 24, 1938 - Fort-de-France, Martinique - Stops in Fort-de-France to refuel
February 27, 1938 - Pier 88, New York City - SS Normandie arrives in New York
March 2(?), 1938 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to Le Havre
March 7(?), 1938 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre
March 23, 1938 - Le Havre - Sets sail to New York, via Southampton
March 28, 1938 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
March 31, 1938 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to Le Havre
April 5, 1938 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre
April 7, 1938 - Le Havre - Enters drydock until April 26th to install a new set of propellers
April 27, 1938 - Le Havre - Sets sail to New York, via Southampton
May 2, 1938 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
May 4, 1938 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to Le Havre
May 9, 1938 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre
May 11, 1938 - Le Havre - Voyage#46: Sets sail to New York, via Southampton
May 16, 1938 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
May 18, 1938 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to Le Havre
May 23, 1938 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre
May 25, 1938 - Le Havre - Sets sail to New York, via Southampton
May 30, 1938 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
June 1, 1938 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to France
June 6, 1938 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre
June 8, 1938 - Le Havre - Sets sail to New York, via Southampton
June 13, 1938 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
June 15, 1938 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to Le Havre
June 20, 1938 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre
June 22, 1938 - Le Havre - Departs for New York, via Southampton
June 27, 1938 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
June 29, 1938 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to Le Havre
July 4, 1938 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre
July 6, 1938 - Le Havre - Sets sail to New York
July 11, 1938 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
July 13, 1938 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to Le Havre
July 18, 1938 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre, reaching her 100th Atlantic crossing
July 27, 1938 - Le Havre - Sets sail to New York, via Southampton
August 1, 1938 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
August 3, 1938 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to Le Havre
August 8, 1938 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre
August 10, 1938 - Le Havre - Sets sail to New York, via Southampton
August 15, 1938 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
August 17, 1938 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to Le Havre
August 22, 1938 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre
August 24, 1938 - Le Havre - Sets sail to New York, via Southampton
August 29, 1938 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
August 31, 1938 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to Le Havre
September 5, 1938 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre
September 7, 1938 - Le Havre - Sets sail to New York, via Southampton
September 12, 1938 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
September 14, 1938 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to Le Havre
September 19, 1938 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre
September 21, 1938 - Le Havre - Sets sail to New York, via Southampton
September 26, 1938 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
September 28, 1938 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to Le Havre
October 3, 1938 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre
October 5, 1938 - Le Havre - Sets sail to New York, via Southampton
October 10, 1938 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
October 12, 1938 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to Le Havre
October 17, 1938 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre
November 5, 1938 - Le Havre - Sets sail to New York, via Southampton
November 10, 1938 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
November 12, 1938 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to Le Havre
November 17, 1938 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre
November 19, 1938 - Le Havre - Sets sail to New York, via Southampton
November 24, 1938 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
November 26, 1938 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to Le Havre
December 1, 1938 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre
December 3, 1938 - Le Havre - Departure to New York cancelled due to a strike by sailors
December 8, 1938 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
December 10, 1938 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to Le Havre
December 15, 1938 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre
December 17, 1938 - Le Havre - Sets sail to New York, via Southampton
December 22, 1938 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
December 26, 1938 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to Le Havre
December 31, 1938 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre
January 29(?), 1939 - Le Havre - Sets sail to New York, via Southampton
February 2(?), 1939 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
February 4, 1939 - Pier 88 - Sets sail to South America
February 6, 1939 - Nassau, Bahamas - One day is spent in Nassau
February 9, 1939 - Port of Spain, Trinidad - Arrives in Port of Spain. Continues voyage on February 10th
February 12, 1939 - Line of the Equator - Crosses the Line of the Equator
February 15, 1939 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - "SS Normandie" docks in Rio, bringing businessman Lee Shubert and Norwegian figure skater and film star, Sonja Henie
February 19, 1939 - Rio de Janeiro - Sets sail to New York
February 24, 1939 - Bridgetown, Barbados - Visit to Bridgetown, Barbados
February 25, 1939 - Fort de France, Martinique - Visit to Fort de France, Martinique
February 28, 1939 - Pier 88, New York City - SS Normandie returns to New York
March 2(?), 1939 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to Le Havre
March 7(?), 1939 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre
March 25, 1939 - Le Havre - Sets sail to New York (with Frida Kahlo aboard)
March 30, 1939 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
April 10, 1939 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to Le Havre
April 16, 1939 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre. Enters drydock for its annual maintenance
April 18, 1939 - Le Havre - While at her berth in Le Havre, SS Paris catches fire and capsizes, temporarily preventing SS Normandie from exiting her dry dock
April 26, 1939 - Le Havre - Voyage#62: The mast of SS Paris is cut so that SS Normandie can join its quay for departure. Sets sail to New York, via Southampton and Plymouth
May 1, 1939 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
May 3, 1939 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to Le Havre
May 8, 1939 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre
August 9, 1939 - Le Havre - Voyage#69: Sets sail to New York
August 14, 1939 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
August 16, 1939 - Pier 88 - Sets sail back to Le Havre
August 21, 1939 - Le Havre - Arrives in Le Havre
August 23, 1939 - Le Havre - Voyage#70 (139th crossing): SS Normandie departs for New York with 1,417 passengers (mostly americans rushing back to the US in the face of an imminent opening of hostilities in Europe)
August 24, 1939 - Off Scilly Islands(?) - SS Normandie overtakes the ocean liner "Bremen" of the Norddeutscher Lloyd
August 28, 1939 - Pier 88, New York City - Arrives in New York
August 30, 1939 - Pier 88 - With 350 passengers aboard, Captain Payen de la Garanderie receives orders to postpone the departure
September 1, 1939 - Pier 88 - WWII breaks out in Europe
September 3, 1939 - Pier 88 - American authorities intern the ship
September 4, 1939 - Pier 88 - SS Normandie and RMS Queen Mary are together for the first time, side by side in New York
September 6, 1939 - Pier 88 - It is decided to keep the ship in New York for safety reasons. 1,327 crewmember are aboard
September 8, 1939 - Pier 88 - A first contingent of 650 crewmembers is repatriated by the liner "De Grasse", via Halifax
September 11, 1939 - Pier 88 - A second contingent of 165 crewmembers is repatriated by the liner "Champlain"
October 21, 1939 - Pier 88 - A third contingent of just under 400 crewmembers is repatriated. 113 crewmembers stay to keep the ship in working order and in good maintenance
May 15, 1941 - Pier 88 - The Treasury Department orders 150 coast guardsmen to board SS Normandie to guard against sabotage
May 16, 1941 - Pier 88 - Additional 8 officers and 105 men occupy the liner
December 8, 1941 - Pier 88 - Captain Huédé is told that SS Normandie will welcome an additional contingent of 940 coast guards at the expense of the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique
December 12, 1941 - Pier 88 - The US Maritime Commission orders the seizure of SS Normandie with a promise of compensation. The tri-color flag is lowered and all but 11 of the french crew removed =(changeflag)
December 23, 1941 - Pier 88 - A contract is awarded to "Robins Dry Dock and Repair Co." to convert the ship into a troopship, with completion date set for January 31st, 1942
December 24, 1941 - Pier 88 - 2,400 workers, two-thirds belonging to the main contractor, arrive to begin the convertion of the ship into a troop carrier capable of transporting 15,000 troops
January 1, 1942 - Pier 88 - SS Normandie is renamed USS Lafayette. Gray camouflage paint begins being applied to the hull
February 6, 1942 - Pier 88 - A request is submitted to the Assistant Chief of Naval Operations for a 2-week extension of the first sailing date
February 7, 1942 - Pier 88 - Orders arrive to abandon the superstructure reduction and sail
February 10, 1942 - Pier 88 - Admiral Andrews orders USS Lafayette to be abandoned and at 2:45am - 12 hours after the fire began - the ship rolls over gently forming a 79-degree angle
February 21, 1942 - Pier 88 - Twelve days after the disaster, salvage operations to bring USS Lafayette to an even keel begin
August 3, 1943 - Pier 88 - The pumps are tested
August 4, 1943 - Pier 88 - The water level in the hull is lowered by nine-feet and signs were apparent that the ship was trying to right herself; Water-jets were directed to the bottom of the hull in order to reduce suction (between the hull and the mud/slit) as the ship began to right itself
August 7, 1943 - Pier 88 - Pumping continues and the ship rotates to 67 degrees
August 8, 1943 - Pier 88 - More than 11,000 tons of water are removed and the ship rotates to 45 degrees
September 15, 1943 - Pier 88 - SS Normandie/USS Lafayette lays at her Pier 88 berth nearly at an even keel
October 27, 1943 - Pier 88 - The Supervisor of Salvage turns SS Normandie/USS Lafayette over to the commandant of the Third Naval District
January 11, 1944 - Brooklyn, New York - The hull is taken to Brooklyn to be moored there at a pier rented by Todd Shipyards
September 20, 1945 - Brooklyn - By executive order, President Truman authorizes the disposal of SS Normandie and the ship is officially put up for sale by the US government
September 7, 1946 - Brooklyn - Scrap sale - France declares that it not take possession of the wreck - A New York salvage firm "Lipsett Inc." wins the bid at $161,680
November 28, 1946 - Port Newark, New Jersey - The hull is towed by 12 tugs to Port Newark, New Jersey
January 7, 1947 - Port Newark, New Jersey - USS Lafayette (SS Normandie) begins being cut-up for scrap =(END)
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