USS Princess Matoika, a 20,500-ton (displacement) troop transport, was built in 1900 at Stettin, Germany, as the 10,911 gross ton German flag passenger liner Kiautschou. Renamed Princess Alice in 1904, she continued in active commercial service for another decade. When World War I began in August 1914 the ship was in the western Pacific and soon steamed to Cebu, one of the American-owned (and therefore neutral) Philippine Islands, where she remained in port as German property. Seized by the United States upon U.S. entry into the conflict in April 1917, she was renamed Princess Matoika. A year later, in April 1918, she was turned over to the U.S. Navy, which placed her in commission as USS Princess Matoika (ID # 2290) and employed her for the rest of the war transporting troops to France. Following the November 1918 Armistice she reversed the flow, bringing more than 21,000 service personnel home from the former war zone.
In September 1919 USS Princess Matoika was decommissioned and transferred to the War Department. In 1920 she returned to commercial trade, retaining her wartime name until 1922, when she became the S.S. President Arthur. Again renamed in about 1927, she operated in between the U.S. West Coast and Hawaii as the S.S. City of Honolulu. Damaged by a fire in May 1930, the ship had no further active service. She was sold for scrap in 1933 and broken up in Japan.
This page features, and provides links to, all the views we have concerning USS Princess Matoika (ID # 2290) and the passenger liner Kiautschou of 1900, which was later renamed Princess Alice, Princess Matoika, President Arthur and City of Honolulu.
For other images related to this ship, see:
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 88572 S.S. Princess Alice (German Passenger Liner, 1900) Interned at Cebu, Philippine Islands, circa 1914-1916. This ship later served as USS Princess Matoika. Collection of C.A. Shively, 1978. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Online Image: 83KB; 740 x 430 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 105766-KN (color) Jewish Welfare Board Soldiers and Sailors Post Card Front side of a card issued to U.S. servicemen during the World War I era. It features a view, based on a photograph by Edwin Levick, of S.S. Princess Matoika, which served as USS Princess Matoika (ID # 2290) in 1918-1919. The original card was mailed at Hempstead, New York, on 7 August 1919, following the sender's arrival in the U.S. after a nine-day passage from Brest, France. For a view of the reverse of this card, see Photo # NH 105766-A-KN. Donation of Charles R. Haberlein Jr., 2008. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Online Image size: 106KB; 740 x 495 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 105971 S.S. Princess Matoika (American Passenger Liner, originally the German S.S. Kiautschou, 1900) At Bremerhaven, Germany, 4 July 1921. See Photo # NH 105971-A-KN for a view of the reverse of the original postcard, with a message written by the ship's Radio Operator, J.F. Maresca, to the Reverend Nicola Fusco of Hillsville, Pennsylvania. This ship was USS Princess Matoika (ID # 2290) in 1918-1919. Donation of Charles R. Haberlein Jr., 2008. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Online Image: 82KB; 740 x 495 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 103923 USS Princess Matoika (ID # 2290) In port with a barge alongside, circa 1918, while painted in pattern camouflage. The original image was printed on postal card ("AZO") stock. Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2006. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Online Image: 71KB; 740 x 460 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 105160 USS Princess Matoika (ID # 2290) In port in 1919, probably in the New York City area. Photographed by Head-Mayberry, 488 7th Avenue, New York City. Though the original print labels her as a U.S. Army Transport, the ship's paint scheme, and absence of smokestack markings, indicates that the photograph was taken while she was still in U.S. Navy service. Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2007. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Online Image size: 127KB; 1200 x 460 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 103079 USS Princess Matoika (ID # 2290) In port in 1919. U.S. Navy Freight Lighter # 53 (formerly Coal Barge # 210) is alongside. She was assigned to the Norfolk, Virginia, area, which may be the location of this scene. The original image is printed on postal card ("AZO") stock. Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2005. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Online Image: 69KB; 740 x 465 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 105970 USS Princess Matoika (ID # 2290) In port, 1919. Donation of Charles R. Haberlein Jr., 2008. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Online Image: 55KB; 740 x 445 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 103044 USS Princess Matoika (ID # 2290) Photographed in 1919 by Silvis. The original image is printed on postal card ("AZO") stock. Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2005. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Online Image: 57KB; 740 x 485 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 43123 USS Princess Matoika (ID # 2290) Underway in 1919, while transporting U.S. troops home from Europe. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Online Image: 56KB; 740 x 445 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 105702 USS Princess Matoika (ID # 2290) Off New York City on 1 August 1919, upon her arrival from Europe with troops of the 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Division on board. Panoramic photograph by Head-Mayberry, 488 7th Avenue, New York. Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2008. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Online Image: 100KB; 1200 x 530 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 105862 USS Princess Matoika (ID # 2290) Arriving at New York 1 August 1919, bringing troops of the 9th Infantry, 2nd Division, home from Europe. Photographed by Head-Mayberry, 488 7th Avenue, New York City. This image is a cropped version of Photo # NH 105702. Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2008. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Online Image: 100KB; 900 x 620 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 105422 USS Princess Matoika (ID # 2290) In port, 1919. The original image is printed on postcard ("AZO") stock. Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2007. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Online Image: 67KB; 740 x 470 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 106349 USS Princess Matoika (ID # 2290) Leaving Charleston, South Carolina for Rotterdam, Holland on 30 June 1919, carrying Germans who had been interned in the United States during World War I. Photographed from USS Powhatan (ID # 3013), which had just arrived following a voyage from France. Photograph from the collection of Robert H. Helm, donated by Mr. & Mrs. Robert Helm, 2008. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Online Image: 46KB; 510 x 765 pixels |
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For other images related to this ship, see:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 8 December 2004
New images added 25 February 2009