' s ▁International ▁Mer c ant ile ▁Marine ▁Co . ▁Pennsylvania ▁was ▁launched ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁October ▁ 1 9 2 9 . ▁She ▁joined ▁ ▁() ▁and ▁SS ▁Virginia ▁() ▁in ▁the ▁fleet ▁of ▁American ▁L ines ' ▁Pan ama ▁Pacific ▁L ines ▁subs idi ary . ▁ ▁Pennsylvania ▁was ▁a ▁steam ship , ▁with ▁oil - f ired ▁furn aces ▁he ating ▁her ▁bo ilers ▁to ▁power ▁two ▁General ▁Electric ▁steam ▁tur bo ▁gener ators ▁supp lying ▁current ▁for ▁her ▁electric ▁prop ulsion ▁mot ors . ▁ ▁Pennsylvania ▁was ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁sub marine ▁sign alling ▁appar atus ▁and ▁wireless ▁direction ▁finding ▁equipment , ▁and ▁from ▁about ▁ 1 9 3 4 ▁she ▁was ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁a ▁gy ro comp ass . ▁ ▁Some ▁of ▁Pennsylvan ias ▁first ▁class ▁cab ins ▁had ▁en ▁suite ▁bath rooms . ▁ ▁With ▁Pan ama ▁Pacific ▁L ines , ▁Pennsylvan ias ▁two ▁fun n els ▁would ▁have ▁been ▁red ▁with ▁a ▁blue ▁top , ▁with ▁a ▁white ▁band ▁div iding ▁the ▁blue ▁from ▁the ▁red . ▁ ▁SS ▁Pennsylvania ▁▁ ▁Pan ama ▁Pacific ▁Line , ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁Line ▁Ste am ship ▁Cor p , ▁operated ▁Pennsylvania ▁and ▁her ▁sister s ▁between ▁New ▁York ▁and ▁San ▁Francisco ▁via ▁the ▁Pan ama ▁Canal ▁until ▁ 1 9 3 8 . ▁California , ▁Virginia ▁and ▁Pennsylvania ▁were ▁subs id ised ▁to ▁carry ▁mail ▁on ▁this ▁route ▁for ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Post al ▁Service . ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 3 7 ▁the ▁United