hundred transatlantic round-trip voyages. She carried 120,000 passengers 

 during that period and 600,000 tons of cargo. In the first five and a half 

 months that the America was back in service she made nine round-trip 

 voyages to Europe, and on all of them was filled to capacity, carrying 

 about 2,000 passengers on each trip, or a total of about 18,000. 



The story of the Washington was a happy and carefree one during the 

 days of peace, when she sailed as the pride of America's expanding Mer- 

 chant Marine. Tired businessmen, tourists and starry-eyed honeymooners 

 enjoyed the comforts and luxury of the ship. Many a moonlight romance 

 flourished as the liner plied across the sea. The Washington was a great 

 ship and a wonderful traveling hostelry during those days, when the 

 menace of war was only a topic of idle conversation. 



As world conflict became more and more apparent, however, the ship 

 that was later to join the Navy as the Mount Vernon found her task a very 

 different one. Americans in all parts of the world were anxiously seeking 

 passage home. Loaded beyond capacity, and sobered by the outbreak of 

 the war, she brought her people safely to the States. While hostilities were 

 raging in Europe, the ship, still brilliantly white, was protected from 

 attack by the United States flag. 



By June, 1941, the ship had exchanged her glistening white for a coat 

 of gray. Light openings were sealed to insure her safety. Guns were 

 mounted on her decks. The cabins were stripped. Bare steel lined her 

 spaces. The days of serenity were past; the Washington had gone to war. 

 Today we are thankful that she has safely returned to peacetime tasks. 



The Washington is 705 feet in length, has a beam of 86 feet and draws 

 30 feet 9 inches of water. Her gross tonnage is 24,289. Twin propulsion 



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