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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USAV Catalina (FS-99)


Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
Freight-Personnel / Freight-Supply Vessel
  • Laid down, 26 December 1923, as the Passenger Steamer, Catalina for the Catalina Island Steamship Line at Los Angeles Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co.
  • Launched in 3 May 1924
  • Delivered and place in service, 1 July 1924, by the Catalina Island Steamship Line for service between Los Angeles Harbor and Avalon, Catalina Island
  • Requisitioned by the War Shipping Administration, 15 August 1942
  • Acquired, 15 August 1942, by the US Army Quartermaster Corps on a sub-bare bottom charter
  • Assigned to the US Army Transportation Corp, San Francisco Port of Embarkation, Commissioned USAV FS-99
  • Decommissioned by the US Army and turned over to the Wilmington Transportation Co., 22 April 1946
  • Catalina resumed service with the Catalina Island Steamship Co. between Los Angeles Harbor and Avalon, Catalina Island in 1946
  • Retired from passenger service, 14 September 1975
  • In 1977 Catalina was bought at auction for $70,000 by real estate developer Hymie Singer
  • CatalinaMr. Singer moved the ship to Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, in 1985 where the steamer became the focus of a series of unsuccessful business ventures
  • In late 1997 Catalina broke free of her moorings and grounded on a sandbar in Ensenada Harbor
  • Final Disposition, scrapped in 2009-2010
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1766 t.
    Length 285'
    Beam 52'
    Draft 13'5"
    Speed 15.5kts
    Freight Capacity unknown
    Complement unknown
    Armament unknown
    Propulsion
    four forced draft boilers
    three Hooven-Owens-Rentschler Co. triple expansion steam engines
    two 40 kW generators
    three propellers
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Merchant Service
    FS-99
    300709904    		 152 SS Catalina underway departing Los Angeles harbor, 9 July 1924 enroute to Catalina Island.
    "Looking Through The Lens At Bits of Life. By A. Streib (1923-1995). Los Angeles Times, CA.    		 Robert Hurst
    FS-99
    300709901    		 20k SS Catalina underway, date and location unknown.
    Wikipedia Fair Use terms
    FS-99
    300709905    		 222k SS Catalina underway, departing/arriving at Los Angeles harbor/ Catalina Island, date unknown.
    Maritime Matters    		 Robert Hurst
    FS-99
    300709903    		 119k Ex-SS Catalina, aground and partly sunk in the harbor at Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, circa 2010.
    Photo by ©Tomas Castelazo     		Tommy Trampp
    USAV Catalina (FS-99)
    FS-99
    300709902    		 40k USAV FS-99 underway in San Francisco Bay, circa 1942 to 1946. Tommy Trampp
    There is no history record available for USAV Catalina (FS-99) at NavSource
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 24 March 2023