Onlookers tip their hats and wave as the mighty R.M.S. Queen Mary is launched in the rain at John Brown & Company shipyard in Clydebank, Scotland, September 26, 1934. The ocean liner had been known as only "534" when it was being built, but it was renamed on the day of the launch before a crowd of 250,000.

The ship was the mightiest vessel that man, more than 1,000 feet long, with 12 decks and a lavish Art Deco interior. Its launching was broadcast to American radio listeners and The Times wrote, "Even the shattering of the bottle of wine against the ship and the cheering of the crowd as she slid down the ways could be clearly heard." King George and Queen Mary were among those in attendance.

The Queen Mary made its maiden voyage May 27, 1936. For 31 years, it was the most luxurious way to travel. Royalty, statesmen and hundreds of thousands of troops enjoyed her accommodations as she traveled across the Atlantic. The increasingly popularity of air travel led to the end of the legendary ship. Its final cruise came October 31, 1967, when it headed for Long Beach, Calif. It arrived there December 9 and has called Southern California its home ever since, accommodating guests as a museum and hotel.