Matsonia - by Leialoha Kalaluhi |
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| Source: Roslyn Brown - This song was written for the composer's daughter, the grandmother of Roslyn Brown. Matson Lines commissioned this ship, 1931, under the name S.S Monterey, to cruise the Pacific Ocean. Designed by William Francis Gibbs, it was built by Bethlehem Steel in Quincy, Massachusetts, at a cost of $8,300,492.00 with 472 first class accommodations, 229 cabin class and a crew of 360. June, 1932, the first cruise included San Francisco, Los Angeles, Honolulu, Auckland, Pago Pago, Suva, Sydney and Melbourne. 1941, it was commissioned by U.S. Marines and carried missionaries and U.S. citizens stranded in Asia, back home. It was used as a troop ship for the duration of WWII, and returned to civilian conversion, 1946. Sold to the government in 1952, it was re-fitted and re-purchased by Matson Lines in 1955, and christened Matsonia by Mrs. Lucy Blaisdell. It again, cruised the Pacific under this name, 1957-1962. Business declined, it was put in dry dock, 1952, and brought back to service when its sister ship, Lurline, was damaged in 1963. Re-christened Lurline by Mrs. Harry Statts, December 6, 1963, it cruised the Pacific Ocean under this name 1963-70. Sold to Chandris Line of Greece in 1970, it was rechristened Britanis, cruised Greece, the Southampton-Sydney run, Caribbean, and the New York-Bermuda run from 1970-86. Between 1986-94, it was based in Florida and chartered by U.S. Government 1994-96, to service military personnel at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Sold to A.G. Belofin Investments in 1998, it was being towed to scrappers in Pakistan or India and sank 50 miles off Cape Town, South Africa. | |