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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Europa (AP-177)

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Delta - Uniform - Hotel NDUH

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Europe clasp)

Europa Class Transport:

Laid down, date unknown, by Blohm and Voss, Hamburg, Germany

Launched, 15 August 1928

Delivered in March 1930 to Nord Deutscher Lloyd

Maiden Voyage, Bremen-Southampton-Cherbourg-New York, 19 March 1930

Sold to German-American Line in 1941

Taken as a war prize, 8 May 1945, Captured intact Kaiserhafen III Bremerhaven

Prize crew placed aboard, 3 June 1945

Acquired by the US Navy and commissioned USS Europa (AP-177), 25 August 1945, CAPT. Benjamin Franklin Perry in command

USS Europa was assigned to Occupation service in the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater for the following periods:

Navy Occupation Service Medal
23 August to 11 September 1945
24 March to 2 May 1946

Decommissioned, 2 May 1946, at Bremerhaven West Germany

Struck from the Naval Register, 5 June 1946

Delivered to the War Shipping Administration, 8 June 1946

Post World War II Merchant Service

Transferred to France in partial payment of war reparations, 8 June 1946,

Transferred by the government of France to to Companie General Transatlantique in July 1946,

Broke her moorings and adrift in a storm, collided with hulk of SS Paris in next berth and sunk, 9 December 1946, at Le Havre, France, before being placed in service as SS Liberte

Raised, 15 April 1947, reconditioned, and placed in service, 17 August 1950 as the Companie General Transatlantique (French Lines) passenger liner SS Liberte. Maiden Voyage, 19 March 1951

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping to Italian shipbreakers Terrestre Marittima S.p.A. at La Spezia, Italy, Arrived 30 January 1962. [Source: Die grossen deutschen Passagierschiffe (Author Arnold Kludas), Oldenburg, Germany, 1971.]

Specifications:
Displacement 49,746 t. (gross)
Length. 936'
Beam 102'
Draft 48'
Speed 27.5 kts.

Propulsion

twelve steam turbines

single reduction geared

quadruple propellers

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source
Pre-World War II Merchant Service Nord Deutscher Lloyd Lines
	69k	The Nord Dertscher Lloyd passenger liner SS Europa slides down the builders ways at Blohm and Voss shipyard, Hamburg, 15 August 1928. Photo courtesy of Bundesarchiv, Bild 102-06400/CC-BY-SA.	Robert Hurst
	68k	Launching of the Nord Deutscher Lloyd passenger liner SS Europa at Hamburg, Germany, 15 August 1928.	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
	64k	SS Europa surrounded by tugs and other small craft after entering in the water for the first time, 15 August 1928. Photo courtesy of Bundesarchiv, Bild 102-06401/CC-BY-SA at Hamburg, Germany, 15 August 1928.	Robert Hurst
	51k	SS Europa with a fire on board while fitting out at the Blohm und Voss Shipbuilding Yard, Hamburg, March 1929. Photo courtesy Bundesarchiv, Bild 102-07567	Robert Hurst
	51k	SS Europa in the Blohm und Voss dry dock, Hamburg, Germany, sometime in 1929, while under repair prior to commencing her sea trials in February 1930. Photo courtesy of Bundesarchiv, Bild 102-08947/CC-BY-SA	Robert Hurst
	70k	The newly completed liner SS Europa tied up pierside at Blohm und Voss shipyard, Hamburg, Germany, 1 February 1930, ready to commence sea trials. Photo courtesy of Bundesarchiv, Bild 102-09213/CC-BY-SA	Robert Hurst
	44k	The two sister liners SS Europa (nearest camera) and SS Bremen (in background) tied up at Bremerhaven, March 1930. Photo courtesy BundesArchiv, Bild 102-09295 /CC-BY-SS	Robert Hurst
	53k	SS Europa under steam at Hamburg, February 1930 prior to her sea trials commencing. Photo courtesy Bundesarchiv, Bild 102-0951	Robert Hurst
	31k	SS Europa leaving the port of Hamburg, on her first trial run, February 1930. Photo courtesy BundesArchiv , Bild 102-09254/CC-BY-SS	Robert Hurst
	57k	The He 59 (DE-1919) "Bremen Atlantic" seaplane being hoisted onto the Heinkel-designed catapult aboard the passenger liner SS Europa, August 1930. Photo courtesy Bundesarchiv, Bild 102 - 10309	Robert Hurst
	456k	The Nord Deutscher Lloyd passenger liner SS Europa fitting out in Hamburg, Germany in 1930. *Europa* was scheduled to be completed in 1928, but due to severe fire damage during the construction phase she entered service in 1930.	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
982217746	73k	Post card image of the Nord Deutscher Lloyd passenger liner SS Europa with attending tugs.	Tommy Trampp
	303k	The Nord Deutscher Lloyd passenger liner SS Europa underway, date and location unknown.	Tommy Trampp
	64k	SS Europa underway, date and location unknown. Photo from Meyers Blitz Lexikon, column 87/88	Robert Hurst
	80k	The Nord Deutscher Lloyd passenger liner SS Europa arriving in port, probably Hamburg, date unknown.	Robert Hurst
	89k	Pre-war images of passenger liners SS Europa and SS Bremen moored pierside at Bremerhaven, Germany. US Navy photo from "Great Liners At War" by Stephen Harding.	Robert Hurst
	77k	Oil painting by Ulrich Hubner (1872-1932) of the liners SS Bremen and SS Europa tied up at the Columbuskage, Bremerhaven, sometime between 1930 and 1932. Image courtesy of the Society National German Maritime Museum	Robert Hurst
	207k	SS Europa docking/undocking, date and location unknown. Photo from the book by Nicholas T. Cairis, "Passenger Liners of the World Since 1893" (1979).	Tommy Trampp
	130k	SS Europa entering New York harbor early in her career. This postcard was mailed on board the ship, 31 July 1933 during an eastbound voyage.Photo courtesy Shipscribe.com.	Robert Hurst
	268k	SS Europa underway, date and location unknown. Note this photo was taken after her funnels were extended. Photo courtesy CPL (Conway Picture Library) from "The Liner: Retrospective and Renaissance" by Philip Dawson.	Robert Hurst
	91k	SS Europa tied up pierside at Wilhelmshaven, Germany in 1945. She was the target for five Bristol Beauforts of No.22 Squadron. only one located the ship but was unable to attack because of the intense searchlight glare. Photo and text from "The other few: The Contribution made by Bomber and Coastal Command aircrew to the winning of The Battle of Britain", by Larry Donnelly DFM.	Robert Hurst
	212k	SS Europa tied up dockside at Bremerhaven, Germany in early May 1945. This image, taken by members of the first U.S. unit to reach the harbor, shows the vessel wearing a dazzle-pattern camouflage paint scheme reminiscent of those worn by Allied troopships in the First World War. US Navy photo from "Great Liners At War" by Stephen Harding.	Robert Hurst
	82k	SS Europa being nudged by tugs towards the Bremerhaven drydock where she will undergo the refurbishment and conversion work to prepare her for her troop-repatriation duty. She was commissioned as USS Europa, 25 August 1945. US Navy photo from "Great Liners At War" by Stephen Harding.	Robert Hurst
	92k	SS Europa in US Navy custody in the Kaiserhafen III at Bremerhaven, Germany, 11 June 1945, shortly before being towed to a drydock for restoration. Note her German camouflage. US Army Signal Corps photo # SC-208760 now in the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command.	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret
USS Europa (AP-177)
	37k	*USS Europa* (AP-177)** moored pierside, circa 1945, location unknown	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret
	83k	*USS Europa* (AP-177)** tied up in Bremerhaven before departing on her first repatriation voyage. Sharing the pier is the USAHS Larkspur, herself a former German passenger steamer US Navy photo from "Great Liners At War" by Stephen Harding.	Robert Hurst
	94k	*USS Europa* (AP-177)** heading down the Weser River from Bremerhaven, Germany, 11 September 1945, on her first US Navy voyage to New York. Note the homeward-bound troops and the stacks of life rafts on the stern. US National Archives, RG-80-G, photo # 80-G-352259 a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, courtesy Shipscribe.com..	Mike Green
	74k	*USS Europa* (AP-177)** moored pierside at New York in January 1946.The ship ultimately returned to commercial service as SS Liberte of France's Compagnie Generale Transatlantique. US Navy photo from "Great Liners At War" by Stephen Harding.	Robert Hurst
	73k	*USS Europa* (AP-177)** arriving at Bremerhaven, 24 March 1946, at the conclusion of her last transatlantic voyage as a US Navy ship. US Army Signal Corps photo # SC-232106 now in the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command, courtesy Shipscribe.com.	Mike Green
	84k	*USS Europa* (AP-177)** docking at Bremerhaven, 24 March 1946, at the conclusion of her last transatlantic voyage as a US Navy ship. US Army Signal Corps photo # SC-232108 now in the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command, courtesy Shipscribe.com.	Mike Green
Post World War II Merchant Service
	32k	Prior to the conversion of ex-*USS Europa* (AP-177)** to SS Liberte, gale winds in December 1946 blew her into capsized SS Paris at Le Havre, causing severe damage	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret
	69k	Ex-*USS Europa* (AP-177)** prior to conversion as SS Liberte sunk at Le Havre, France, December 1946. Photo by Brooks Rowlett.	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret
	182k	Ex-*USS Europa* (AP-177)** as she appeared in the 1950s shortly after being allocated to the French Compagnie Generale Transatlantique Line. Photo courtesy of Chantiers de L'Atlantique. From "The Liner: Retrospective and Renaissance" by Philip Dawson	Robert Hurst
	34k	The French Lines passenger liner SS Liberte arriving at New York in 1950	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret
	26k	The French Lines passenger liner SS Liberte departing New York in 1950	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret
	95k	The French Lines passenger liner SS Liberte at Le Havre, France, probably between 1950 when she entered service and 1955 when she received modifications including restyled smokestacks. Photo courtesy Shipscribe.com.	Robert Hurst
	184k	Post card image of SS Liberte underway, circa 1952,	Tommy Trampp
	113k	SS Liberte underway in harbor, location unknown. Wire photo dated 27 July 1950.	Tommy Trampp
	119k	SS Liberte post card image postmarked 2 January 1951, New York, N.Y.	Tommy Trampp
	159k	SS Liberte underway, date and location unknown.	Tommy Trampp
	126k	Starboard view at sea of the French Lines passenger liner SS Liberte circa 1950. Impression by "Marin-Marie".	Tommy Trampp
	135k	SS Liberte in harbor, date and location unknown. Post card image by William H. Miller.	Tommy Trampp
	716k	Moran tugs assist SS Liberte, formally the Blue Riband award winning North German Lloyd SS Europa, during a mid 1950s winter departure from New York.	Tommy Trampp
	382k	Aerial starboard view of SS Liberte underway, date and location unknown. Photo courtesy of Philip Dawson. From "The Liner: Retrospective and Renaissance" by Philip Dawson	Robert Hurst
	300k	German newspaper photo of the ex-French Lines passenger liner SS Liberte being dismantled at La Spezia, Italy in mid-1964.	Gerhard Mueller-Debus

USS Europa (AP-177)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	CAPT. Perry, Benjamin Franklin	25 August 1945 - 9 February 1946
02	CAPT. Madox Adolph Wilhelm USNR	9 February 1946 - 2 May 1946


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Nord Dertscher Lloyd passenger liner SS Europa, 3rd Class Breakfast Menu, 24 July 1937

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 22 January 2021