From 1928 to 1940, the pleasure steamer President Warfield sailed between Baltimore and Norfolk in Chesapeak Bay, on the east coast of America. The ship was distinguished by its luxury bars and dance halls. In 1940/41 the President Warfield was taken out of service and converted into a troop and supply ship for the British navy.
During the war it survived several sea battles without any serious damage. After being renovated, and
assigned to the American navy, it took part in the allied Normany landings on 6th June 1944.
Marked by its war service the ship was anchored in the ships' graveyard in Balimore.
Here, the old, derelict President Warfield came to the attention of the Haganah, who, at the end of 1946, bought it, through an intermediary, for 60,000 dollars. Ike Aronowicz, who was later to become its captain, immediately saw the suitability of this pleasure steamer for its future task. The President Warfield had a very short draught of 2.40 metres, that would allow it to sail close up to the coast of Palestine to disembark its refugees, without other ships being able to follow it.
In January 1947 the initial conversions were carried out to the ship. By the end of January the entire crew had been assembled, through Haganah contacts. There were nearly 40 young Jewish volunteers from all over the USA. Some of these were: Cyril Weinstein, Eli Kalm, William Bernstein, Bernard Marks, Ben Foreman, Frank Lavine, Avi Livni, Nat Adler, Sam Schulmann, Murray Aronoff, and Rev. John Stanley Grauel, Methodist minister, who was the official observer for the American Christian Palestine Committee. On 18th February 1947, the Honduras consulate granted a certificate allowing the ship to sail under its flag.
Six days later, on 24th February 1947, the ship took to sea. The journey ended a day later on 25th February 1947: the President Warfield encountered a storm and had to be towed into Norfolk harbour. The complete loss of supplies and the damage could be managed, but British intelligence was aroused through the reports in the press.
The British government sought to prevent the ship from sailing, by attempting to stop it sailing under the Honduran flag.
However, the attempt came too late. By the time the British were successfully able to bring pressure on the Honduran government the President Warfield was already in the Atlantic Ocean. The ship left the coast of America on 29th March 1947: heading for Europe, with British Intelligence in tow.
