CUNARD LINE. The "Queen Mary" arrival at Long Beach (California), December 9, 1967

CUNARD LINE. The "Queen Mary" arrival at Long Beach (California), December 9, 1967. Postcard by Queen Mary Souvenir / The Continental Card, B2773.
[Launched on 26 September 1934. Sailed on her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, on 27 May 1936, to New York. In late August 1939, was on a return run from New York to Southampton. The international situation led to her being escorted by the battlecruiser HMS "Hood". She arrived safely, and set out again for New York on 1 September. By the time she arrived, the Second World War had started and she was ordered to remain in port until further notice alongside "Normandie". In 1940 "Queen Mary" and "Normandie" were joined in New York by new running mate "Queen Elizabeth". The three largest liners in the world sat idle for some time until the Allied commanders decided that all three ships could be used as troopships. "Queen Mary" left New York for Sydney, where she, along with several other liners, was converted into a troopship to carry Australian and New Zealand soldiers to the United Kingdom. During the war, "Queen Mary" carried British Prime Minister Winston Churchill across the Atlantic for meetings with fellow Allied forces officials on several occasions. After World War II, from September 1946 to July 1947, "Queen Mary" was refitted for passenger service, adding air conditioning and upgrading her berth configuration to 711 first class, 707 cabin class and 577 tourist class passengers. Following refit, "Queen Mary" and "Queen Elizabeth" dominated the transatlantic passenger trade as Cunard White Star's two ship weekly express service through the latter half of the 1940s and well into the 1950s. By 1965, the entire Cunard fleet was operating at a loss. Hoping to continue financing their still under construction "Queen Elizabeth 2", Cunard mortgaged the majority of the fleet. Finally, under a combination of age, lack of public interest, inefficiency in a new market, and the damaging after effects of the national seamen's strike, Cunard announced that both "Queen Mary" and "Queen Elizabeth" would be retired from service and were to be sold off. Many offers were submitted, but it was Long Beach, California who beat the Japanese scrap merchants. "Queen Mary" was retired from service in 1967. After her retirement in 1967, she steamed to Long Beach, California, where she is permanently moored as a tourist attraction, hotel, museum, and event facility.]

CUNARD LINE. El "Queen Mary" a su llegada a Long Beach (California, EUA) el 09.12.1967. Tarjeta postal de Queen Mary Souvenir / The Continental Card, B2773.

CUNARD LINE. El "Queen Mary" a l'arribada a a Long Beach (California, EUA) el 09.12.1967. Targeta postal de Queen Mary Souvenir / The Continental Card, B2773.

CUNARD LINE. Le "Queen Mary" à l'arrivée à Long Beach (Californie, EUA) le 09.12.1967. Carte postale de Queen Mary Souvenir / The Continental Card, B2773.

CUNARD LINE. Il "Queen Mary" arrivando a Long Beach (California, SUA) il 09.12.1967. Cartolina di Queen Mary Souvenir / The Continental Card, B2773.

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