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USS George Washington (ID #3018)

Please see below for item level images and donated collections containing photographs of USS George Washington (ID #3018)

USS George Washington (ID #3018) was built as German passenger liner George Washington by the Vulcan Works, Stettin, Germany; and was launched on 10 November 1908. She was operated by the North Germany Lloyd Line until World War I when she sought refuge in New York, a neutral port in 1914. With the American entry into the war in 1917, George Washington was taken over on 6 April and towed to New York Navy Yard for conversion into a transport. She was commissioned on 6 September 1917, Capt. Edwin T. Pollock in command.

USS George Washington (ID #3018) sailed with her first load of troops on 4 December 1917, and during the next two years made 18 round trip voyages in support of the A.E.F. During this period, she also made several special voyages. President Woodrow Wilson and the American representatives to the Paris Peace Conference sailed for Europe in USS George Washington (ID #3018) 4 December 1918.

During the fall of 1919, USS George Washington (ID #3018) carried another group of distinguished passengers-the King and Queen of Belgium and their party. Arriving at New York on 2 October, the royal couple paid a visit before returning to Brest 12 November. Subsequently, the ship was decommissioned on 28 November 1919 after having transported some 48,000 passengers to Europe and 34,000 back to the United States. USS George Washington (ID #3018) was turned over to United States Shipping Board on 28 January 1920, and in 1921 was used to transport 250 members of the American Legion to France as guests of the French Government. The board then reconditioned the vessel for transatlantic service, and the U.S. Mail Steamship Company chartered her, for whom she made one voyage to Europe in March 1921.

USS George Washington (ID #3018) was reacquired for Navy use from the Maritime Commission on 28 January 1941 and commissioned USS Catlin (AP-19) on 13 March 1941 in honor of Brig. Gen. Albertus W. Catlin, USMC. It was found, however, that the coal-burning engines did not give the required speed for protection against submarines, and she decommissioned on 26 September 1941.

The ship was next operated under General Agency Agreement by the Waterman Steamship Co., Mobile, Ala., and made a voyage to Panama. After her return 5 September 1942 the War Shipping Administration assigned USS George Washington (ID #3018) to be converted to an oil-burner at Todd Shipbuilding's Brooklyn Yard. When she emerged 17 April 1943, the transport was chartered by the Army and made a voyage to Casablanca and back to New York with troops April to May 1943. In July she sailed from New York to the Panama Canal, thence to Los Angeles and Brisbane, Australia. 

USS George Washington (ID #3018) was taken out of service and returned to the Maritime Commission on 21 April 1947. She remained tied to a pier at Baltimore, Md., until a fire damaged her on 16 January 1951 and she was subsequently sold for scrap to Boston Metals Corp., on 13 February 1951.

For a complete history of USS George Washington (ID #3018) please see its DANFS page.