The Yankee Clipper flew across the Atlantic on a route from New York to Southampton. The inaugural trip occurred on June 24, 1939. The Yankee Clipper crashed February 22, 1943 in Lisbon, Portugal. During the war the Yankee was assigned to the navy and allowed to continue passenger service between the United States and Portugal (indirectly serving all Europeans able to reach Lisbon). On February 22, 1943, after completing its 241st transatlantic flight, the Yankee Clipper circled for a landing on the Tagus River in Lisbon, Portugal. Her port wing tip skimmed the water, dug in, and she slammed into the river, breaking into several pieces, and sank inside of 10 minutes.