M.S. Augustus

The M.S. Augustus was built in 1927 for Navigazione Generale Italiana along with sister ship S.S. Roma for post-war services. The ship was christened by Edna Mussolini the daughter of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. The M.S. Augustus made her maiden voyage on November 10th, 1927 and mostly ran South American routes until 1932, when Mussolini forced Navigazione Generale Italiana and other shipping companies to merge to form the Italia Line. After the merge, the liner began making voyages to and from New York. During World War II, the Italian Navy took over the ship turning it into an aircraft carrier and renaming it Falco and then again to Sparviero. In 1944, both the Roma and the Augustus were taken over by German Troops and September 25 of that year was scuttled in order to protect Genoa harbor. She was raised and scrapped in 1946.

• Length: 215.25 m (706 ft 20 in)
• Beam: 25.20 m (82 ft 67 in)
• Draft: 9.2 m (30 ft 18in)
• Propulsion: quadruple Savoja MAN diesel engines, four screws, 28,000 horsepower
• Speed: 20 knots (23 Mph)
• Capacity: 32,650 tons
• Occupancy: 1,675 passengers

Alessandrina Paragano (Born: 1902) left the port of Naples on this vessel with her son Pasquale Fragano in May of 1932 leaving behind their native town of Perdifumo, Italy for America. Her husband Domenico Fragano was waiting their arrival in Morristown, New Jersey.