This vintage postcard features the S.S. President Harding passing the Statue of Liberty in New York harbor. The SS President Harding was the sister ship of the SS President Roosevelt and both were “Harris Class Transports” built for trooping and cargo duties during World War I by the US Shipping Board. Neither saw service in the war. The President Harding was sold to Belgian interests and was ultimately sunk in 1940 by an attack from German aircraft. The ship was built in 1921 as a passenger ship. It was launched in 1923. Originally, the ship was owned by the United States Lines, a shipping company that operated cargo services (1921-1989) and ocean liner service (until 1969). Kermit Roosevelt, son of President Theodore Roosevelt, was one of the founders of the company. The ship was in the news a number of times. In 1939, the SS President Harding answered an SOS from a French tanker (W. Emile Miguet) and rescued the crew. It was presumed that the tanker was sunk by a German U-Boat. A second newsworthy event occurred in 1939. The liner got caught in a hurricane and suffered 73 injured (23 seriously). Immediately prior to the second World War, the the SS President Harding was involved in the rescue of fifty Viennese Jewish children from the future grasp of Nazi Germany. The ship transported the children to the United States. The plan was for the parents to eventually follow them but few actually made it out of the country in time. The oilette painting reproduced on the front of this postcard was painted by the famous German marine artist, Willy Stower (1864-1931). The painting is dated some time in the 1920’s. A logo for the United States Lines can be seen on the reverse of the postcard. This postcard is in excellent condition (see scans). SOLD
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 
Interesting history!
The Harding had a number of sister ships that were finished after the first World War as cargo liners. As a group, they were known as 502’s and were owned and sailed initially by the Dollar Steamship Line, and later by APL.