SS Conte Biancamano Passenger List – 26 May 1950 | Italian Line Transatlantic Voyage
Front Cover, SS Conte Biancamano First Class Passenger List, Departing 26 May 1950 from New York to Genoa via Lisbon, Gibraltar, and Naples, Commanded by Captain Luigi Gulinelli. | GGA Image ID # 23205801ad
🚢 Review & Summary: SS Conte Biancamano Passenger List – 26 May 1950
🌍 The Ship & The Voyage
On 26 May 1950, the Italian Line’s distinguished flagship, the SS Conte Biancamano, departed New York bound for Genoa, with calls at Lisbon, Gibraltar, and Naples. Commanded by Captain Luigi Gulinelli, this First Class passenger list provides a fascinating glimpse into the postwar Mediterranean crossing, as ocean liners once again became vital cultural bridges after the disruptions of World War II.
Launched in 1925 by Cantieri Ansaldo, Genoa, the Conte Biancamano was one of Italy’s most celebrated transatlantic liners, later refitted for postwar service. Known for its elegant accommodations, Italian cuisine, and refined service, the vessel embodied a national pride in luxury ocean travel during a time when Italy was reasserting itself as a player in international shipping.
⚓ Ship Summary: SS Conte Biancamano
- Launched: 1925, Cantieri Ansaldo, Genoa
- Tonnage: Approx. 23,500 GRT (later refitted)
- Operator: Italia – Società di Navigazione
- Service Speed: 22 knots
- Route: New York ↔ Mediterranean ports (Lisbon, Gibraltar, Naples, Genoa)
- Features: First Class luxury, Italian cuisine, strong cultural identity as Italy’s national liner
- Fate: After decades of service, she was scrapped in the 1960s, but remains iconic in Italian maritime history.
Explore the SS Conte Biancamano Passenger List from 26 May 1950, departing New York for Genoa via Lisbon, Gibraltar, and Naples. Discover notable passengers—politicians, clergy, judges, and cultural icons—and learn why this Italian Line voyage matters for genealogists, historians, and ocean travel scholars.
Senior Officers and Staff
- Commander: Captain Luigi Gulinelli
- Staff Captain (XO): Captain Mario Porro
- Chief Engineer: M. N. Rino Poggi
- Asst. Chief Engineer: M. N. Salvatore Milazzo
- Chief Purser: Leonardo Pescarolo
- First Purser: Enrico Wrubl
- Chief Physician: Dr. Orazio Calvini
- Asst. Chief Physician: Dr. Filiberto Casaltoli
- Chaplain: Rev. Pietro Merano
- Tourist Officer: Dott. Spinello Antinori
- Chief Steward: Mr. Umberto Vida
- Chef de Cuisine: Mr. Virgilio Ferrario
First Class Passengers
List of Passengers, Part 1 (Abood-Boehm)
- Miss Lavera Abood
- Mrs. St. Elmo W. Acosta
- Miss Freda Adamo
- Mr. Domenico Andreana
- Miss Hilda Andreana
- Miss Diana Andreana
- Judge Edith M. Atkinson
- Mrs. Floyd E. Badger
- Mr. R. H. Balbiano
- Mrs. R. H. Balbiano
- Miss Grace Barbalinardo
- Mr. Harper Barnes
- Mrs. Harper Barnes
- Mr. William B. Barton
- Mr. Justin J. Becker
- Mrs. Marie E. Becker
- Mr. Lee J. Behl
- Mrs. Lee J. Behl
- Mr. Lido Belli
- Mr. Louis Boehm
- Mrs. Lillian Boehm
List of Passengers, Part 2 (Bova-Crespi)
- Miss Rosina Bova
- Miss Marie Boyle
- Mrs. James A. Branch
- Mrs. Gladys Burch
- Miss Mary Elizabeth Burgoyne
- Miss C. Agnes Cahill
- Mr. Christopher C. Campanari
- Mr. John Canepa
- Mrs. John Canepa
- Mr. Peter R. Carley
- Mrs. Peter R. Carley
- Mrs. Emilia Casella
- Miss Doris Casella
- Miss Rita Casella
- Mr. Frank Chirico
- Mr. Joseph Cirelli
- Mrs. Rosa Cirelli
- Mr. Ansel R. Cleary
- Mr. Michele Cotrone
- Mrs. Marianna Cotrone
- Comm. Pio Crespi
- Mrs. Pio Crespi
List of Passengers, Part 3 (Currier-G. McCormick)
- Mrs. P. J. Currier
- Miss Colette Currier
- Miss Clare Currier
- Mr. D'Ambrogio
- Mr. Angelo De Rossi
- Mrs. Celeste De Rossi
- Miss Mary Deeb
- Mrs. Hugh Dodson
- Mr. Francis J. Doyle
- Mrs. Francis J. Doyle
- Dr. Louis J. Ducoff
- Mrs. Katherine E. Eldridge
- Mrs. Mary L. Evans
- Mr. Josè Fernandez-Veiga Gonzales
- Mrs. Faustina de la Vega de Fernandez
- Mr. Filippo Ferraro
- Rt. Rev. Msgr. Bonaventure J. Filitti
- Dr. Leandro Forno
- Miss Rose Frank
- Mr. Pedro Gandia
- Mrs. Pedro Gandia
- Master Pedro Gandia, Jr.
- Mrs. Margo G. McCormick
List of Passengers, Part 4 (George-Kelly + Markwälder)
- Mr. Leo E. George
- Mr. Pasquale Gigliotti
- Mrs. Pasquale Gigliotti
- Mr. Franklin C. Gowen
- Mr. Benjamin Graham
- Mrs. Benjamin Graham
- Mr. Bernard J. Gratama
- Mrs. Bernard J. Gratama
- Mrs. Edward Harris S.
- Master Strilinn Harris
- Miss Jacqueline Harris
- Miss Suzanne Harris
- Miss Marie Harris
- Miss Anna Markwälder
- Mr. Albert Hinton
- Mrs. Lillie E. Hinton
- Mr. A. W. Hoernle
- Mrs. Rose F. Hurley
- Mr. Mario A. Ingraffia
- Mrs. Anna F. Ingraffia
- Mr. August A. Jacomini
- Mrs. Eletta Jacomini
- Rev. Mother Anna Joseph S. S. J.
- Hon. Augustine B. Kelley
- Mrs. Augustine B. Kelley
List of Passengers, Part 5 (Kress-Masi)
- Mrs. Claude W. Kress
- Mrs. Stella Landefield
- Rev. W. Thomas Larkin
- Rev. F. Laurendau
- Mrs. Blanche N. Lavery
- Sister Mary Assumpta Le Donne, R. D. C.
- Mrs. Anna Le Donne
- Sister Mary Liquori Mistretta R. D. C.
- Mr. Erwin Linthout, M.D.
- Bishop Thomas J. McDonough, Auxiliary Bishop of St. Augustine, FL
- Mr. Martin J. McDonough
- Mrs. Elsie McNeill Lee
- Mrs. Mafalda Maglio
- Mr. John T. Mahoney
- Mrs. John T. Mahoney
- Mr. Louis P. Marciante
- Mrs. Louise S. Marciante
- Miss Amelia Marzinko
- Sister Teresa Maria S. S. J.
- Mr. J. Martino
- Mr. Luigi Masi
List of Passengers, Part 6 (Miccio-Pasternak)
- Mr. Antonio Miccio
- Miss Frieda S. Miller
- Miss Dorothy Moran
- Miss Rose M. Moran
- Dr. G. M. Mortati
- Miss Gertrude M. Mulhern
- Mr. Salvatore Naclerio
- Miss Angelina Napoli
- Rev. John L. Nugent
- Miss Grace M. O'Connor
- Mrs. E. J. O'Toole
- Mr. Salvatore Ottieri
- Mr. Lewis R. Owen
- Mrs. Lewis R. Owen
- Master Vahid Owen
- Mr. Philip Pacey
- Mrs. Carmella Pacey
- Miss Florence E. Parsons
- Miss Josephine Pasquini
- Mr. Leo Pasternak
- Mrs. Leo Pasternak
List of Passengers, Part 7 (Persinger-Simonelli)
- Mr. David Persinger
- Mr. Benedict Pocoroba
- Mr. Hayden Preston
- Miss Jane Quinn
- Mr. John Rados
- Mrs. John Rados
- Miss Marie V. Reardon
- Mrs. A. P. Richardson
- Mrs. Mabel B. Richman
- Ing. Herbert Riedel
- Donna Frances Rosso
- Miss Joan E. Ross
- Mr. D. P. Rutland
- Maestro Domenico Savino
- Mrs. Domenico Savino
- Mr. Dominick Scaperotta
- Mrs. Anna Scaperotta
- Mr. Armando Schiavone
- Mrs. Giovanni Schiavone
- Mrs. Elvira Scimia
- Comm. James F. Simonelli
- Mrs. Augusta Simonelli
List of Passengers, Part 8 (Smith-Zunio)
- Mrs. Joseph G. Smith
- Mrs. Frank M. Snowden, Jr.
- Miss Jane A. Snowden
- Master Frank M. Snowden III
- Mr. Michel A. Spinella
- Mrs. Irene C. Spinella
- Miss Jessica A. Spinella
- Miss Florilla Sternberg
- Mrs. Maria I. Taddei
- Miss Maria Taddei
- Mr. Michele Testa
- Mrs. Michele Testa
- Rev. Arthur Tommaso
- Mrs. Bertha Untermans
- Mrs. F. Perrin VanderElst
- Rev. Augustine Varricchio
- Miss Carmela Vecchio
- Mr. Guido Visioni
- Mrs. Nunziata Visioni
- Mr. John A. Warren Eng.
- Mrs. Catharine C. Williams
- Mr. Edward C. Wilson
- Mrs. Edward C. Wilson
- Master James W. Wilson
- Master Thomas E. Wilson
- Mrs. Ella Winzeler
- Mr. C. S. Zim
- Mrs. C. S. Zim
- Mr. Frank A. Zunino
👤 Notable Individuals on Board
This particular voyage is remarkable for the diverse blend of clergy, civic leaders, aristocrats, academics, and professionals, all of whom add depth and social context to the record.
Judge Edith M. Atkinson – A trailblazing jurist, remembered for her work in juvenile justice and education reform. Her presence highlights the participation of influential American women in postwar international exchanges.
Comm. Pio Crespi – A prominent Italian-American industrialist and cotton magnate, representing the business and diplomatic links between Italy and the United States.
Rt. Rev. Msgr. Bonaventure J. Filitti – A Catholic leader whose transatlantic travel underscores the importance of religious figures in cultural diplomacy during the rebuilding years of Europe.
Bishop Thomas J. McDonough – Auxiliary Bishop of St. Augustine, Florida (later Archbishop of Louisville). His presence is of special interest to church historians and Catholic scholars, reflecting the global mobility of clergy after WWII.
Rev. Mother Anna Joseph, S.S.J. and Sisters of Religious Orders (R.D.C. and S.S.J.) – Their inclusion demonstrates the active role of nuns and clergy in postwar humanitarian, educational, and missionary work.
Hon. Augustine B. Kelley – U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania, linking this voyage to postwar U.S. political circles and international outreach.
Maestro Domenico Savino – An accomplished conductor and composer, adding a dimension of cultural and entertainment history to this passenger roster.
Comm. James F. Simonelli – Another civic leader whose titles reflect Italy’s traditional honorific structures.
This remarkable cross-section of travelers—political leaders, jurists, clergy, cultural icons, and business elites—makes this voyage especially rich for research.
🎨 Noteworthy Images from the Passenger List
Front Cover, SS Conte Biancamano Passenger List (26 May 1950) – Elegant, symbolizing Italian postwar design and national pride. | GGA Image ID #23205801ad
Title Page with Autographs and Hometowns – Annotated by passengers, providing personal and genealogical value beyond the printed names. | GGA Image ID #232096472b
Senior Officers and Staff Listings – Highlighting Captain Gulinelli, Chaplain Rev. Pietro Merano, and Chef Virgilio Ferrario. | GGA Image ID #23218d8367
Annotated Passenger Lists (Abood–Zunino) – Many with handwritten notes, invaluable for family historians tracing ancestors. | GGA Image IDs #2321b20f9e – #2322f71021
Passenger Autograph & Inscriptions – Rare survivals that give these lists emotional depth. | GGA Image ID #232310b263
Covers with String Binding – A reminder of how souvenir lists were both ephemeral and collectible artifacts. | GGA Image ID #23211f04e2
📚 Relevance for Teachers, Students, Historians, and Genealogists
For Teachers & Students: This passenger list is an excellent primary source for exploring postwar transatlantic travel, religious movements, and the cultural role of ocean liners before the jet age.
For Genealogists & Family Historians: Handwritten annotations, hometowns, and religious affiliations make this list uniquely valuable for tracing family roots and reconstructing migration patterns.
For Historians: The presence of clergy, jurists, and political leaders situates the voyage within the broader Cold War-era diplomacy and reconstruction narrative.
For Maritime Enthusiasts: The Conte Biancamano exemplifies Italian design and luxury at sea, bridging the interwar and postwar periods.
💡 Final Thoughts – Why This Passenger List Matters
The 26 May 1950 voyage of the SS Conte Biancamano is far more than a simple roster of names—it is a social document of the postwar world, bringing together U.S. politicians, Italian industrialists, Catholic clergy, American judges, and cultural figures.
For genealogists, it provides annotated records with rare handwritten notes.
For students and teachers, it opens a window into transatlantic mobility during the Cold War’s first decade.
For historians, it illustrates the interplay of politics, religion, and culture aboard a ship that embodied Italian pride and international prestige.
This passenger list is a microcosm of an era when ocean liners were still vital cultural bridges, long before the rise of jet travel.
Passenger List Images
Title Page, Annotated with Autographs and Home Towns. Italia - Soc. per Azioni di Navigazione, Genova. American Export Lines Inc., General Agents. Eastbound Trip Ports of Call: New York, Lisbon, Gibraltar, Naples, and Genoa. SS Conte Biancamano First Class Passenger List, 26 May 1950. | GGA Image ID # 232096472b
Listing of Senior Officers and Staff, Part 1, SS Conte Biancamano First Class Passenger List, 26 May 1950. | GGA Image ID # 23218d8367
Listing of Senior Officers and Staff, Part 2, SS Conte Biancamano First Class Passenger List, 26 May 1950. | GGA Image ID # 23219e7bdf
Annotated List of Passengers, Part 1 (Abood-Boehm), SS Conte Biancamano First Class Passenger List, 26 May 1950. | GGA Image ID # 2321b20f9e
Annotated List of Passengers, Part 2 (Bova-Crespi), SS Conte Biancamano First Class Passenger List, 26 May 1950. | GGA Image ID # 2321f8ecaf
Annotated List of Passengers, Part 3 (Currier-G. McCormick), SS Conte Biancamano First Class Passenger List, 26 May 1950. | GGA Image ID # 232219dd39
Annotated List of Passengers, Part 4 (George-Kelly + Markwälder), SS Conte Biancamano First Class Passenger List, 26 May 1950. | GGA Image ID # 232221b13c
Annotated List of Passengers, Part 5 (Kress-Masi), SS Conte Biancamano First Class Passenger List, 26 May 1950. | GGA Image ID # 232229c359
Annotated List of Passengers, Part 6 (Miccio-Pasternak), SS Conte Biancamano First Class Passenger List, 26 May 1950. | GGA Image ID # 2322964d5b
Annotated List of Passengers, Part 7 (Persinger-Simonelli), SS Conte Biancamano First Class Passenger List, 26 May 1950. | GGA Image ID # 2322d0efa3
Annotated List of Passengers, Part 8 (Smith-Zunio), SS Conte Biancamano First Class Passenger List, 26 May 1950. | GGA Image ID # 2322f71021
Passenger Autograph and Inscription, SS Conte Biancamano First Class Passenger List, 26 May 1950. | GGA Image ID # 232310b263
Covers Showing the Exposed Spine Binding of String, SS Conte Biancamano First Class Passenger List, 26 May 1950. | GGA Image ID # 23211f04e2
📜 Research note: Some names and captions were typed from originals and may reflect period spellings or minor typographical variations. When searching, try alternate spellings and cross-check with related records. ⚓
Curator’s Note
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