A walk by the great ocean liners at their piers in New York in 1939.

These few pictures are all I have of the many phonographs that were taken by Theodore Spangenberg (1917-1994) of ships and ocean liners. These pictures I know where taken by him throughout the year of 1939.This is a very late photograph of the SS Paris. It was taken in early 1939. By April of 1939 this ship will have caught fire and sunk.
The rear deck of the Paris.
This is a very empty Ile de France. Once the war started in Europe many of France's ships where brought to harbors such as New York. You will also notice that the ship is listing a bit to port as well.

The Ile was left in New York when the war started in September of 1939 for France. The Ile was towed to Staten Island and kept there for over year till the ship was taken over by the British and used in transportation of materials and troops in 1941.

Behind the Ile you will see the funnels of the Normandie.
The great and giant Normandie. Made it's maiden in voyage in 1935. Sadly by late 1939 her sailing days were over. In this picture Ted Spangenberg is sitting and looking at the great ship. He was on that ship many times. But little did he or anyone know that her career was done.

She was in time taken over by the US government. But through inefficient working programs and lack of precautions. She was set on fire in 1942 and was a total loss.
The great Queen Mary in 1939 in battleship grey. She looks very clean and nice as she had not done anything yet. By the wars end she looked like every mile she had sailed. These few pictures are a time capsule of the New York City docks.

Thank you Ted for being a friend and sharing so much with me of the history of ocean liners that would pay many a call in New York City.