1935 SS Normandie Maiden Voyage

1935 SS Normandie maiden voyage cover, Le Havre slogan postmark.

The SS Normandie was built in Saint-Nazaire for the French Line Compagnie Générale Transatlantique. When she entered service she was the largest and fastest passenger ship, and is still today the most powerful steam turbo-electric-propelled passenger ship ever built. She operated out of her home port of Le Harve and made 139 westbound transatlantic crossings to New York, and held the Blue Riband for the fastest transatlantic crossing on several occasions. During World War II, she was renamed USS Lafayette, but in 1942 caught fire and capsized on the Hudson River. She was salvaged but later scrapped in 1946.