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SS Matsonia

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SS Matsonia
SS Matsonia.jpg
1937 Postcard image following rebuild
SS Matsonia 1.jpg
San Franciso 1943 - wartime livery
History
Name SS Matsonia
Owner Matson Line
Builder rebuilt SS Malolo (W Cramp & Sons 1926)
Launched 26 Jun 1926
Completed May 1927
In service 16 Nov 1927
General characteristics
Type Ocean Liner
Tonnage 17,226 tons
Length 177.3 m
Beam 25.4 m
Propulsion Twin screw, steam turbines
Speed 21 knots (38.9 kmh)
Capacity 693 First class passengers



Remarks

Originally built as the SS Malolo, she was substantially rebuilt and renamed SS Matsonia. She continued to voyage from the US west coast to Hawaii until requisitioned by the US Navy on 21 Nov 1941 for service as a troop ship. For the remainder of the war she trooped around the Pacific, making many calls to Australian ports carrying US Military personnel, and Australian Air Force personnel (later voyages with war brides) in the opposite direction.

The ship was returned to the Matson Line in April 1946 and underwent a massive refit in order to return to passenger service on the Hawaiian route. She was sold in April 1948 to the Italian Home Line and renamed SS Atlantic, and later SS Queen Frederica. Extensively refitted in 1960, she had been transferred in 1954 to the National Hellenic American Line.

Airmen carried

Sydney to San Francisco via Auckland 16 Jun - 31 Jul 1943