SOS to rescue legendary US liner from scrap heap

It was the fastest, most luxurious ocean liner of its day, and whisked the likes of Marilyn Monroe, Coco Chanel, Marlon Brando and four US presidents across the Atlantic. On its maiden voyage on July 3, 1952 the 990-foot (301-meter) ocean liner crossed the Atlantic in a record three days, 10 hours and 40 minutes. A marvel in elegance and technology, it was designed to be transformed rapidly -- if the Cold War escalated -- into a troop carrier and was therefore funded largely by the US government