Postcard in the author's collection
(MT) MATSON NAVIGATION
COMPANY
Trans-Pacific Service 1926-1970
The ships of the Oceanic
Steam Ship Co., commonly known as Spreckel's
Line (OS) above were withdrawn for
trooping duties when the
United States
entered the War in 1917. They did not
return to the
trans-Pacific service
until 1919 when the Ventura and Sonoma
reopened a monthly
service. The
Sierra, after a
transfer to another service, was refitted
and in 1924
rejoined
the trans-Pacific
service With three ships, Oceanic was able to offer
a
sailing every three
weeks.
In
1926, the Matson
Navigation Co. purchased the Oceanic Steam Ship Co.,
and the trans-Pacific
service became the Matson-Oceanic Line initially with
the
same three ships but in Matson colours. In 1928, with low
interest
US
Government money and a lucrative mail contract, Matson ordered three
new
ships – the Mariposa (II), the Monterey
and the Lurline.
The first two were
intended for the service to Australia and the Lurline
with the older Malolo
for
the
San Francisco-Hawaii route. In the early 1930s, the trans-Pacific
service
was
extended to take in Melbourne as well as Sydney, and on the other
side
the
service was extended to Los Angeles in addition to San Francisco
Postcard in the author's collection
Malolo -
twscs 17,232gt 1927
slv 2 photos uw
Philadelphia
Image No.
b41957
1927 on the San
Francisco-Honolulu
(with
tug)
service
Image No. b41853
1929
visited Fremantle, Melbourne and
sln
photo
aq
Sydney as
part of a 90 day Pacific cruise
Digital
Order
Hull was
painted white in what became
No.
a638320
the
standard Matson livery after the
nmm
photo aq
cruise
No.
P11587
1931 Los
Angeles added to San
sln photo of
colour
Francisco- Honolulu service
postcard of r/n
Also
made another visit to Sydney
Matsonia
in
as
part of a cruise.
white livery
1933
Lurline joined the service to
Honolulu. Malolo was
laid up for
several months because of the
effects of the depression.
1934
back in the Honolulu service
1936-1937
laid up for six months
in late
1936 and early 1937.
1937
major refit and alterations
r/n Matsonia (II)
1938-1941, back in service to
Honolulu.
Nov.
1941-Apr.1946 requisitioned
as a
troopship including visits to
Australian and New Zealand ports
in March
1942. In October 1945,
she
brought the Canadian brides of
Australian airman who had trained
in Canada
to Brisbane.
Apr.1946 returned to owners
and after
a basic refit was back
on
the West Coast-Honolulu
service still with a wartime grey
hull.
1948 sold
to Home Line,
r/n Atlantic
and refitted for
the North
Atlantic trade
1954
transferred to Home Line's
Greek
flag subsidiary National
Hellenic American Line and r/n
Vasilissa Freideriki (known
as Queen Frederica) and
still
in
the North Atlantic trade
1965 sold to
the Chandris Line (CH)
Wartime grey and gun
tubs.
From the "Old
Ship Picture Galleries"
Mariposa (II)
- twscs 18,071gt 1931
sln 6 photos
Digital Orders:
Quincy, Mass
No.
a638409
1942-46
served as troopship
(uw in harbour)
1946-52
laid-up because without
No.
a638410
subsidies there
was an uncertain
(aq Circular Quay, west
prospect of
profitable employment
side, Sydney)
1954 sold
to the Home Line of
No. a638411
Genoa with
Panamanian registry
(aq view from
wharf)
r/n Homeric
No.
a638412
1955-62
north Atlantic routes
(aq
east side. Circular
1963
cruising from US ports
Quay)
1973
during a cruise, kitchen
No.
a638416
and dining room
bady damaged
(uw in
harbour, view
by fire
from astern)
1974 scrapped
nmm 3 photos -1937 in
New Zealand
No. P11721
(manoeuvring with
tugs)
No.
P11723
(floodlit, Auckland)
No. P11724
(am New Zealand port)
Monterey (II) - twscs 18,017gt
1932
slv
photo uw
Quincy, Mass.
Image No. gr001525
1942-46
served as troopship
sln
5 photos (in Syney
1946-52 laid
up like her sister
harbour) Digital Orders
ship (Mariposa)
No. a638596
1952 sold
to US Government for
(passing under
Sydney
possible
conversion to a troopship
harbour bridge)
1956 re-purchased
by Matson
No. a638598
Navigation. After
refit, on San
(manoeuvring)
Francisco-Hawaii
service r/n
No.
a638599
Matsonia (III)
(manoeuvring)
1963 r/n
Lurline
(IV) after the
No. a638600
sale of Lurline
(III)
(manoeuvring
close to
1970 sold
to Chandris Line (CH)
Orient
liner)
of Greece r/n Britanis
No. a638601
(manoeuvring)
nmm photo
No. P23491 (1942-45,
as troopship in River
Mersey)
From
the "Old Ship Picture
Galleries"
Lurline (III)- twscs
18,021gt 1932
sln photo aq Digital
Quincy, Mass.
Order No.a638204
1933
entered San Francisco-
Hawaii service
1942-46
served as a troopship
1946-48
refit, new tonnage
18,163gt
1948
returned to San Francisco-
Hawaii service
1963 sold
to Chandris Line (CH)
of Greece r/n Ellinis
Postcard in the
author's
collection
Mariposa (III) (ex-Pine
Tree State Mariner) nmm
photo uw
- scs 14,812gt
1953 Quincy, Mass.
No. P11726
Built as fast
cargo vessel for the
(copy
of an
U.S. Marine Corps
Owners photo)
1956
purchased by Matson, rebuilt
as a passenger
vessel at Portland, Ore.,
and r/n Mariposa
1956 (late) on
San Francisco-
Honolulu-Auckland-Sydney route
1970 sold
to Pacific Far East Line
Monterey (III) (ex-Free
State Mariner) -
scs 14,799gt 1952
Sparrows Point, Md
Built as a fast
cargo vessel for the
U.S. Marine Corps
1956 purhased
by Matson, rebuilt as a
passenger vessel
at Portland, Ore., and
r/n Monterey
1963 r/n Lurline
(IV) after the sale of
Lurline (III)
1970 sold
to Pacific Far East Lines
Sources:
1. John M. Maber's
"North Star to Southern Cross"
(T.
Stephenson & Sons, Prescot, Lancashire 1967)
2. Peter Plowman's
"The Chandris Liners and Celebrity Cruises"
(Rosenberg, Dural, N.S.W. 2006)
3. Arnold Kludas'
"Great Passenger Ships of the World, Vol. 3 1924-1935",
pp.
184-189 (Patrick Stephens, Wellinborough - English edition 1976,
reprint
1986)
4 Website:Old Ship
Picture Galleries
http://www.photoship.co.uk
5. Final
disposition of vessels from website: "The Ships List"
http://www.the shipslist.com/ships/lines/oceanic.htm
http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/matson.htm