SS Excambion Archival Collection
Excambion (1931) American Export Lines
Built by New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N. J. Tonnage: 9,360. Dimensions: 450' x 61'. Single-screw, 16 knots. Steam turbines. Two masts and one funnel. Renamed: John Penn (1941) United States Navy. Fate: Sunk by Japanese torpedo bomber off Guadalcanal, August 13, 1943. Sister ships: Exeter, Excalibur and Exochorda.
Excambion (1944) American Export Lines
Sailed as the Excambion from 1948 to 1965
Built by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp., Sparrows Point, Maryland. Tonnage: 9,644. Dimensions: 451' x 66' (473' O.I.). Steam turbines. Two masts and one funnel. Withdrawn from service recently. Previously Named: Ex-Queens (1948). Sister ships: Excalibur, Exeter and Exochorda. Sale: Acquired by Texas Maritime Academy at Texas A&M University at Galveston in 1965. Fate: Sunk as an artificial reef off Texas, 17 November 2007.
🛳️ SS Excambion 1938 Passage Receipt – New York to Naples on the Eve of WWII
An American Woman’s Journey from New York to Naples on the Eve of Global Upheaval 🌍🧳
This 1938 Passenger’s Receipt and Contract for Mrs. F. Garner Bishop aboard the SS Excambion offers a rich case study in interwar transatlantic travel, wrapped in the historical and economic context of pre-WWII Europe. Issued by American Export Lines, the document captures more than a travel arrangement—it reveals maritime culture, regulatory detail, and personal mobility in a world just months from radical change.
American Export Lines 1948 Advertisement for The New 4 Aces: SS Excalibur, SS Exochorda, SS Exeter, SS Excambion. GGA Image ID # 15f5446f12
Newest... Fastest... Finest American-Flag Passenger Liners in Mediterranean Service
American Export Lines planned these four attractive new liners expressly for Mediterranean travel • • • to assure utmost comfort, convenience and pleasure in an atmosphere of distinctive charm.
They provide a new concept of leisurely living at sea in keeping with modern American standards.
All staterooms are outside, amidships • • • with private bathrooms. Spacious, bright and cheerful, they are distinguished by their beauty and completeness of appointments. One class accommodations only — first class.
By day, they resemble interesting living rooms and by night are transformed for restful sleep with downy oversize beds.
Additional notable features include • • • air conditioning throughout • • • family suites • • • private veranda deck staterooms • • • outdoor tiled pool and other recreational facilities • • • service by specially trained American stewards.
★ ★ ★ ★
A sailing every other Tuesday from New York to Marseilles, Naples, Alexandria, Jaffa, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Beirut, Haifa, Alexandria, Piraeus, Naples, Leghorn, Genoa, Marseilles, Boston.
The New "4 Aces"
- S.S. EXCALIBUR
- S.S. EXOCHORDA
- S.S. EXETER
- S.S. EXCAMBION
Beautiful new replacements for our prewar liners of the same names.