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The SS'' Aquarama'', formally known as the SS ''Marine Star'', was a World War II troop ship for the United States Navy. In 1952, it was converted into the largest passenger ship ever to operate in the Great Lakes.〔 ==Ship History== Originally named the ''Marine Star'', the ''Aquarama'' was built in 1945 in Chester, Pennsylvania as a United States Maritime Commission C4-S-B5 type of ship.〔(Aquarama-Marine Star ), Welcome to Forgotten Buffalo. 2008. Web. 3 December 2008.〕 Designed as a transoceanic troop carrier, the ship made one trip across the Atlantic before combat ceased. The ship remained unused for a few years until it was bought in 1952 by the Sand Products Company of Detroit.〔(The Marine Star - AKA The Aquarama ), Western New York Heritage Press. 2005. Web. 3 December 2008.〕 After being purchased the ship was towed to Muskegon, Michigan where it was converted into a commercial cruise ship. The entire process took approximately two years to complete and cost nearly $8 million.〔(The Aquarama ), The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. 11 Mar. 1998. Web. 4 December 2008.〕 The president of the Sand Products Company at the time, Max Mckee, wanted the ''Aquarama'' to be an ocean liner for the Great Lakes. The ''Aquarama'' began operation in 1956 by touring various Great Lakes ports. In 1957 the Michigan-Ohio Navigation Company, began service from Detroit to Cleveland carrying automobiles and passengers. Once in service the ship was able to transport its passengers, as well as their automobiles, from Detroit to Cleveland in under six hours. Although the ship was immensely popular it never generated enough revenue to be self-supporting; On September 4, 1962 the ship made its last trip before being towed to Muskegon. Operating the ship from Muskegon, Michigan to Milwaukee as a replacement for the older Milwaukee Clipper was proposed, but $700,000 for dredging so the Aquarama could be accommodated in Milwaukee harbor was needed. As a result the ship sat idle until 1987 when it was sold to the North Shore Farming Company for around $3 million. The ''Aquarama'' was briefly docked at Sarnia, then Windsor before returning to its original name of Marine Star and moving under tow to Buffalo. On August 3, 1995 the Marine Star berthed at the Cargill Pool Elevator where it stayed until it was towed overseas to Aliağa, Turkey for scrap in September of 2007. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「SS Aquarama」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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