MS Saturnia
Saturnia as Italian troop ship passing through Suez Canal, Sept. 1935. | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | Saturnia |
| Owner |
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| Operator |
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| Port of registry | Trieste, Italy |
| Builder | Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico, Monfalcone, Trieste |
| Yard number | 160 |
| Laid down | 5 March 1925 |
| Launched | 19 December 1925 |
| Maiden voyage | 21 September 1927 |
| Fate | Delivered 18 November 1943 to U.S. War Shipping Administration by Italian Government. |
| History | |
| Name |
|
| Owner | War Shipping Administration (1943-1945) |
| Operator |
|
| Fate | Returned to Italian Government 19 November 1946 |
| Notes | Bareboat charter, Army, 1945—1946. USAHS 1945 becoming USAT Saturnia 1946 on conversion to transport. |
| History | |
| Name | Saturnia |
| Port of registry |
|
| Acquired | From WSA 19 November 1946 |
| In service | 1946 |
| Out of service | 1965 |
| Fate | Scrapped in 1965 at La Spezia |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Ocean liner |
| Tonnage | 23,940 GRT, 14,441 NRT |
| Length | 631.4 ft (192.5 m) (Registry) |
| Beam | 79.8 ft (24.3 m) |
| Draught | 29.05 ft (8.9 m) |
| Depth |
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| Decks | 4 + 1 in #1 hold + shade deck |
| Propulsion |
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| Speed |
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MV Saturnia was an Italian ocean liner named after Saturnia, Tuscany, the first of two sister ships built in Trieste for Cosulich Soc. Triestina di Nav. of Trieste and launched in 1925. Sister ship MS Vulcania was launched the next year. Saturnia served into World War II for Italy and upon the Italian armistice with the Allies was delivered to the U.S. War Shipping Administration (WSA) in an arrangement made between Italy and Admiral Cunningham of the Royal Navy, approved by General Eisenhower.
Saturnia sailed from Italy to New York with an Italian crew and was delivered to WSA on 18 November 1943. The ship first served under a WSA agent after conversion into a troop ship allocated to U.S. Army requirements but in January 1945 began conversion into a hospital ship under U.S. Army bareboat charter from WSA. After conversion into USAHS Frances Y. Slanger, the ship departed New York in July 1945 for France to embark patients. In December 1945 the hospital ship was retired and converted from 24 January to 21 February 1946 into a dependent transport as USAT Saturnia.
In November 1946 Saturnia was delivered to the Italian government to return to commercial service until March 1965. The ship was scrapped in October 1965.