USA Postal Sta. Maiden Voyage CONTE DI SAVOIA 1932 to Greece SUNK

USA Postal Sta. Maiden Voyage CONTE DI SAVOIA 1932 to Greece SUNK, Conte di Savoia was originally ordered for the Lloyd Sabaudo line, however, after a merger with the Navigazione Generale Italiana, the ship was completed for the newly formed Italia Flotte Riunite. The new Italia Line also controlled the Rex, a similar though slightly larger ship completed just two months before Conte di Savoia. The Conte di Savoia was more modern in decoration and appearance than the Rex, and was considered to be an exceptionally beautiful ship. She was the first liner fitted with gyroscopic stabilizers. In November 1932 she made her maiden voyage to New York. The voyage almost became a disaster when an outlet valve jammed and blew a large hole below the waterline. The ship completed her maiden voyage thanks to crew member Gennaro Amatruda who plugged a leak in a broken valve-port saving the ship from possible disaster. The Conte di Savoia never held the Blue Riband for fastest Atlantic crossing, although on one attempt she did average just 0.2 knots (0.4 km/h) slower than the Blue Riband holder Rex. During troop service in World War II, Conte di Savoia was set on fire and sunk by retreating German forces on 11 September 1943. , condition is VG-F