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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Photo #  NH 76070:  S.S. Matsonia, April 1926


Online Library of Selected Images:
-- CIVILIAN SHIPS --

Matsonia (Passenger Steamship, 1913).
Served as USS Matsonia (ID # 1589) in 1918-1919.
Later renamed Etolin and served as USAT Etolin in 1940-1946

Matsonia, a 9728 gross ton passenger steamship, was built in 1913 at Newport News, Virginia. She operated between the U.S. west coast and Hawaii during most of her active career. Taken over by the Navy during World War I, she served as USS Matsonia (ID # 1589) until returned to her civilian owners in 1919. In 1932, she was laid up at Antioch, California, but was briefly employed as a cargo ship in 1936-37.

In March 1937, Matsonia was sold to Alaskan interests and renamed Etolin. The U.S. Army chartered her for troopship service in August 1940 and kept her through World War II, retaining the name Etolin. In 1940-41, she made voyages to Alaska, the Philippines and Hawaii and in early 1942 steamed down to South America before returning to the Hawaiian transport route. Later in that year, Etolin went to Baltimore, Maryland, where she was extensively overhauled. After arriving back at San Francisco, California, in July 1943, she operated from the U.S. to Australia and Hawaii. After repairs that lasted from the last part of 1944 through first seven months of 1945, Etolin twice crossed the Pacific to Japan and Okinawa. During early 1946, she served between New Orleans, Louisiana, and Panama, before being turned over to the War Shipping Administration in late April 1946 for layup in the James River (Virginia) Reserve Fleet. Etolin was scrapped at Baltimore, Maryland, in 1957.

This page features and provides links to our only views of the passenger steamship Matsonia, which was USS Matsonia (ID 1589) during 1918-1919, and of the U.S. Army Transport Etolin.

For pictorial coverage of this ship while she was in U.S. Navy service, see:

  • USS Matsonia (ID # 1589), 1918-1919.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

    Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

    Photo #: NH 99592

    S.S. Matsonia
    (American Passenger Steamship, 1913)

    In port, prior to her World War I era Naval service.
    This ship served as USS Matsonia (ID # 1589) in 1918-1919.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 51KB; 740 x 390 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 103995

    S.S. Matsonia
    (American Passenger Steamship, 1913)

    Halftone reproduction of a photograph taken prior to the ship's U.S. Navy service. She was USS Matsonia (ID # 1589) in 1918-1919.
    This image was published in 1918-1919 as one of ten photographs in a "Souvenir Folder" of views of and on board Matsonia.

    Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2006.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 88KB; 740 x 515 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 76070

    Matsonia
    (U.S. Passenger Steamship, 1913)

    Photographed on 14 April 1926.
    USS Burns (DD-171/DM-11) is in the right background.
    Matsonia served as USS Matsonia (ID # 1589) in 1918-19.

    Courtesy of the San Francisco Maritime Museum, San Francisco, California, 1972.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 66KB; 740 x 610 pixels

     


    The following image shows Matsonia during her World War II service as the U.S. Army Transport Etolin:

    Photo #: NH 99615

    Etolin
    (U.S. Army Transport)

    Halftone reproduction of a photograph taken while the ship was in port during World War II. Built in 1913 as the passenger liner Matsonia, this ship served as USS Matsonia (ID # 1589) in 1918-1919 and as USAT Etolin in 1940-1946.

    Copied from the book "Troopships of World War II", by Roland W. Charles.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 74KB; 740 x 385 pixels

     

    For pictorial coverage of Matsonia while she was in World War I U.S. Navy service, see:

  • USS Matsonia (ID # 1589), 1918-1919.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


    Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

    Page made 12 January 2002
    New image added 14 August 2006