Preserved Memory Project:

PRESIDENT CLEVELAND, American President Line,
by Arthur Lederman

S.S. PRESIDENT CLEVELAND, photo and copyright Arthur Lederman

Arthur Lederman:

I learned in Spring, 1957 that I would be travelling by ship to Japan from the Los Angeles Harbor, along with eight other high school-age students. We were part of an international exchange student program, the American Field Service, and the first group of American students on AFS to go to Japan. It was twelve years since the end of the war with Japan, and that country was still early in rebuilding. They had been our enemy for four bitter years in the Pacific, and many Americans as well as Japanese had died. Our role was to assist in building a bridge to a new relationship postwar, on a person-to-person basis.

The world was very much larger in 1957 than today. While Pan Am had an air route to the Pacific, it was fairly slow and very expensive. Most travel was done still by ship, even over such long routes.

We met the S.S. PRESIDENT CLEVELAND a bright day in June in the L.A. Harbor in San Pedro, California. She was some 15 years in service at that time, and still gleamed brightly. Dock workers were still loading cargo into the holds, as the trade of goods was as important to the vessel as passengers. We were scheduled for a 13-day crossing, to Yokohama, with a one-day stopover in Honolulu after five days at sea.

S.S. President Cleveland, departure, photo and copyright Arthur Lederman

The ship had two classes of passengers. First class was forward, on higher decks, and quite splendid. There was a fine dining salon, large lounges and reading rooms, and rows of deck chairs. The passenger list however, was not large... in first class perhaps some 250 or 300.

Our quarters, as students in Economy Toursit, was quite another matter. At the stern, close above the engine room, was open birthing with some 20 or more bunk beds. We had no room to hang clothes or get any private space, and ate a strange combination of oriental and Western dishes. Naturally we students found little reason to be in or bunks, and spent most days on deck where a Japanese American professor travelling on board held conversational Japanese language classes for the 9 students. We were accompanied by a staff member of AFS as a chaperson for the trip, Dot Field, whom we came to treasure as a warm and worldly friend.

The days were beautiful, sunny and fairly mild seas. After the first day out, we were not seasick. We spotted whales spouting in the distance as we approached the stopover in Hawaii. The sea was an incredible blue-green that gives the open Pacific its remarkable beauty. We felt quite safe, if not particularly well-looked-after. Some of us found a way to get invited to first class for a few hours, to see how "the other half" got along. It was quite grand, by comparison.

Honolulu in 1957 was unrecognizable by todays look. There were two or three hotels on the beach at Waikiki only, and miles and miles of nearly empty beaches. We had a several-hour layover, and got off for a tour and even a bit of snorkeling. Talk about unspoiled paradise! Hawaii had been barely discovered by American or foreign tourists, and was run by and for the locals.

The second leg of our journey, some seven days, seemed longer. As we slowed slighted appoaching the coast of Japan before dawn, it was still almost dark, with the sun barely illiminating low hills that seemed to rise straight from the sea in the distance. This was IT! Our destination...our former enemy, an enigma to most of us, and our home for the next two and a half months. Nippon!

At dawn we very slowly sailed into Yokohama harbor, and didn't make landing until well after light, soon to be greeted by our Japanese host, host families and children. I went off to Tokyo, not far, to the home of Hideki Kikushi and his wife an son, and the beginning a a great adventure for a 17-year old.

S.S. President Cleveland, photo and copyright Arthur Lederman

Our return voyage was of similar length, though disembarked in San Francisco after an awesome sail under the Golden Gate bridge. We returned at the end of August, somehow much more worldly, with some 26 days at sea under our belts!

The ship, even in Economy Tourist, seemed beautiful!

Arthur Lederman, Los Angeles, June, 1999

(Arthur Lederman passed away April 2005. I thank you for Art for taking the time to share your photos and memories, Your story will remain here for all to enjoy - with fond memories, Martin Cox, Maritime Matters).

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