Matanuska Colony Project

Matanuska Colony Project. Palmer. , ST. MIHIEL U.S. ARMY TRANSPORT SHIP , Built on Hog Island, Pennsylvania for World War I she was to be called the Sinnemahoning. named for a Native American tribe. Following declaration of Armistice Day, November 11, 1918, the ship was named after a decisive World War I battle in France. Mrs. Frank Hines, wife of Brigadier Hines of Salt Lake City, Utah, on November 19, 1919 christened the U. S. Army Transport Ship the St. Mihiel., The St. Mihiel Transport Ship was delivered to the War Department the following September to serve ports in the Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean. Setting sail from New York Harbor November 1920, her maiden voyage was to San Juan and Cristobal. At the time someone remarked: "Painted white all over, the U. S. Army Transport St. Mihiel looks more like a passenger liner bound for the tropics than a troop carrier!", During her early years she transported troops to the Canal Zone, making at least one trip a year to Antwerp, Holland. Her route also took her through the Canal Zone to San Francisco. The latter become her home port in 1932. From there she served New York Honolulu and other Pacific Ports., ALASKAN MISSION , In 1935 the St. Mihiel was commissioned to transport the Colonists to Alaska from San Francisco and Seattle. With a heroes departure, it took her six days to convey the first group of Colonists, transient workers and freight from San Francisco to Seward, Alaska. Upon completion of several trips for the Colonist Project, she did not return to Alaskan waters until four years later., The St. Mihiel brought with her preparations for an Alaskan defense. For the next three years she was busy traveling from San Francisco to Alaska, assisting with the buildup of troops and freight for the new Army bases located in Anchorage and Fairbanks. Her first contingent of troops for Alaska was in June 1940, when she carried 30 officers and 745 enlisted men to establish Fort Richardson near Anchorage. Construction of the Fort provided employment for numerous colonists., On July 22, 1941 the St. Mihiel was transferred to the Navy. With Seattle as a home port, she continued to serve Alaska, calling regularly at ports on the mainland and the Aleutians., In May 1943, she participated in the occupation of Attu. John R. Fahey, having served as a radio operator the St. Mihiel, remembered that the Ship's Doctor received a medal of honor for taking care of the wounded and men with frost bitten feet. The latter suffered in greater numbers than the wounded. He also recounted:, "We used to carry men, nurses and at the beginning of the war we carried servicemen's families back to the United States. Our ship also took the first Japanese Zero back the States for the engineers to study.", The St. Mihiel's service in Alaska with an occasional detour to Honolulu lasted until September 23, 1943., [Top center photo caption of people boarding ship reads] , With the same fanfare, the second group of colonists left from Seattle., [Second right photo caption reads] , Loading school buses and equipment for the colony project.