CATLIN AP 19

Ship Name and Designation History

This section lists the names and designations that the ship had during its lifetime. The list is in chronological order.

Built 1908 as German Passenger Liner Launched 10 November 1908 as SS GEORGE WASHINGTON Seized by US Government 6 April 1917 Acquired by US Navy and converted to a Troop Transport USS GEORGE WASHINGTON ID-3018 Commissioned 6 September 1917 - Decommissioned 28 November 1919 USAT GEORGE WASHINGTON Custody transferred to US Army 1919 - 1921 SS GEORGE WASHINGTON (Commercial Service) Operated by US Shipping Board until 1931, placed in reserve Reacquired by US Navy from Maritime Commission 28 January 1941 USS CATLIN AP-19 Commissioned Transport (AP) 13 March 1941 Decommissioned 26 September 1941 Name restored to GEORGE WASHINGTON (Date unknown) Loaned to Great Britain 29 September 1941 Deemed too slow for combat duty Returned to War Shipping Administration 17 April 1942 SS GEORGE WASHINGTON (Commercial Service) Operated briefly by Waterman Steamship Co., Mobile, Alabama. Made one voyage to Panama. Converted from coal to an oil-burner upon return USAT GEORGE WASHINGTON Custody transferred US Army 17 April 1943 - 21 April 1947 Returned to Maritime Commission 21 April 1947 Damaged by fire 16 January 1951 Sold 13 February 1951 for scrap

Brigadier General Albertus W. Catlin, USMC

Naval Covers

This section lists active links to the pages displaying covers associated with the ship. There should be a separate set of pages for each incarnation of the ship (ie, for each entry in the "Ship Name and Designation History" section). Covers should be presented in chronological order (or as best as can be determined).

Since a ship may have many covers, they may be split among many pages so it doesn't take forever for the pages to load. Each page link should be accompanied by a date range for covers on that page.

1. USS George Washington TT-3018 Covers Page 1     (1919)
2. USS Catlin AP-19 Covers Page 1     (1941)

 

Postmarks

This section lists examples of the postmarks used by the ship. There should be a separate set of postmarks for each incarnation of the ship (ie, for each entry in the "Ship Name and Designation History" section). Within each set, the postmarks should be listed in order of their classification type. If more than one postmark has the same classification, then they should be further sorted by date of earliest known usage.

A postmark should not be included unless accompanied by a close-up image and/or an image of a cover showing that postmark. Date ranges MUST be based ONLY ON COVERS IN THE MUSEUM and are expected to change as more covers are added.
 
>>> If you have a better example for any of the postmarks, please feel free to replace the existing example.

 

Postmark Type --- Killer Bar Text	Postmark Date	Thumbnail Link To Postmark Image	Thumbnail Link To Cover Image

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German Liner S.S. GEORGE WASHINGTON

 

U.S. GERMAN SEA POST

1913-07-19

Postcard.

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1st Commissioning 6 September 1917 to 28 November 1919

USS GEORGE WASHINGTON TT-3018

 

Locy Type 2rz

1919-06-04

Note:

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United States Liner S.S. GEORGE WASHINGTON (1921-1931)

 

U.S. GER. SEA POST

1928-06-27

Note:

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2nd Commissioning 13 March 1941 to 26 September 1941

USS CATLIN AP-19 (No Postal Facilities)

 

Locy Type SLs(n) (34x2)

1941-06-06

Rubber stamp text cachet. From the Bob Govern collection. Postmarked with a USPO Duplex Cancel and Roller Cancel, from Philadelphia PA.

 

Other Information

USS GEORGE WASHINGTON earned the World War I Victory Medal during her Naval career.

NAMESAKE - GEORGE WASHINGTON - Named for George Washington, the first President of the United States

NAMESAKE - CATLIN - Brigadier General Albertus W. Catlin, USMC (1 December 1868 - 31 May 1933)
Catlin was born in Gowanda, New York. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1890 and from the Army War College in May 1917. He was commissioned Second Lieutenant, US Marine Corps, 1 July 1892, and was promoted through the grades to Brigadier General, retired, on 10 December 1919. He commanded the Marine Corps guard, USS Maine, when it was destroyed in Havana Harbor, 1898 (which started the Spanish-American War); commanded Marines aboard the USS St Louis during the war which followed; commanded the first Marines to land on Cuba, 1906. Served there until 1909. Commanded Marines in the fleet which landed at Vera Cruz, Mexico, 21-22 April 1914; commanded the 6th Marines, 4th Brigade, 2nd Division, American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) in France in World War I, 1917-18; wounded in action at Belleau Wood, 6 June 1918; assigned as commander of 1st Brigade of Marines, Haiti, November 1918. Awarded the Medal of Honor for "distinguished conduct" at Vera Cruz, 22 April 1914; also received two Croix de Guerre, one with palms and one with gilt star for gallantry in action and the Legion of Honor (France) for service at Chateau Thierry, June 1918. He died in Washington, D.C.

 

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