This week's photo is a very rare and unique capture.  Shown in this image is the S.S. Cristobal sitting in a floating dry dock in New Orleans.  This image came from a 35mm slide that I recently purchased.  The person I purchased it from dates the slide May 1977. At first, I thought that this was the beginning stages of the Cristobal's scrapping, but appears to be a refurbishing job being done.

The S.S. Cristobal was one of three sister ships constructed for the Panama Canal's Panama Line by the Shipbuilding Division of Bethlehem Steel of Quincy Massachusetts, the S.S. Cristobal was launched March 4, 1939, and sailed out of New York on her maiden voyage to Panama the following August 17. On Judy 11, 1942, the vessel was requisitioned for military use in World War II, serving first as a trop carrier and later transporting war brides, children and wounded soldiers stateside.  On June 14, 1946, the Cristobal was returned  to the Panama Line, where she continued passenger/cargo service between New York and Panama until April 1961.  In June of that year the Cristobal made her first voyage b etween New Orleans and Panama, a route she was to ply until her last voyage on September 19, 1981, after 42 years of U.S. Government service.

If anyone is interested, an 8 x 10 inch print of this photo is available for a donation in support of the CZ Images web site.  Please let me know if you are interested.