S.S. Lurline-- Part 2: Launched 1932, Amelia Earhart A Passenger in 1934

This was not the first ship in the Matson Line to be named the Lurline.  An earlier SS Lutline built  in 1908 served in the United States Shipping Board during World War I.

The WW II Lurline was the last of four fast and elegant ocean liners built for the Line, launched in 1932 and taking its maiden voyage in 1933.  It was 632 feet ling, beam of 79 feet and speed of 22 knots with capacity of 715 (475  first class,  240 tourist.  Mr. Merrick evidently was in a first class cabin on his trip.

Famous aviator Amelia Earhart was aboard the ship from Los Angeles to Honolulu with her Lockheed Vega airplane secured on deck December 22-27, 1934.   This was in preparation for her record-breaking Honolulu-to-Oakland solo flight she made in January 1935.

The Lurline was half-way between Honolulu and San Francisco on 7 December 1941, when she heard about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

--GreGen