S.S. La Provence

La Provence was built by Chantiers & Ateliers de St. Nazaire in 1905 for the Copmpagnie Generale Transatlantique or the French Line. She was launched on March 21st, 1892 and sailed her maiden voyage on April 21st, 1906 from Havre to New York. This same service would remain in effect until 1914 when it was converted into an Armed Merchant Cruiser and renamed Provence II. On February 16, 1916 she was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean by German submarine U.35 which took 830 lives.

• Length: 183.58 m (602 ft 3 in)
• Beam: 19.81 m (65 ft)
• Propulsion: two funnels, two masts, twin screw,
• Speed: 21 knots (24-25 Mph)
• Capacity: 13,753 tons
• Occupancy 422 1st class passengers, 132 2nd class passengers, and 74 3rd class passengers

Domenico Bifano (Born: 1879) and the rest of the family were aboard this ship departing Havre February 3rd, 1912 arriving at the port of New York on the 10th after a brief visit back home in Villarosa, Italy.