Haapalah / Aliyah Bet

Martha Washington
Built: 1908, by Russell & Co., Port Glasgow, for Unione Austriaca di Navigazione.
Launched: 1908
The Ships List cites: The launching of Martha Washington was on December 7, 1907
Length: 460 feet
Beam: 56 feet
Draft 24 feet 9 inches
Speed 17.2 knots
The Ships List cites: The top speed of Martha Washington was 16 knots
Crew: 949
Armament: four 5" and two 1-pounders
Engine: steam, two shafts, built by Rankin & Blackmore, Greenock

Martha Washington sailed between Trieste and New York City.

On April 6, 1917, Martha Washington was taken over by the United States Army Quartermaster Department.
In November 1917. she was acquired by the United States Navy, and commissioned on January 2, 1918, Commander Chauncey Shackford in command.

Martha Washington sailed as a part of the Cruiser and Transport Force, on eight wartime voyages carrying troops to France, embarking 24,005 passengers.

In 1919, after the Armistice, Martha Washington carried 324 Armenian and Polish refugees to Constantinople.

In November, 1922, Martha Washington was acquired by the Cosulich Line, which was later absorbed into the state-owned Italia Flotte Riunite,
The Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships cites she was sold back to her former owner, Unione Austriaca di Navigazione, in November, 1922.

In 1933, Martha Washington was acquired by Lloyd Triestino and renamed SS Tel Aviv.

In November, 1933, SS Polonia and Martha Washington sailed for for Palestine.
They were turn back by radio warnings were flashed by British High Commissioner, Sir Arthur Grenfell Wauchope. who was trying to quell an Arab insurrection.

On February 18, 1934, SS Martha Washington tried to drop anchor off Yafo, but the winter storm forced her north to Haifa
On Monday, February 19, 1934, the first organized group of Aliyat haNoar children from Nazi Germany, on board SS Martha Washington, arrived at Haifa, where they were met, in the pouring rain, by Henrietta Szold, who greeted each of them by name, and accompanied them to kibbutz Ein Harod קיבוץ עין חרוד, and spent the first day with them.

In 1934, Martha Washington SS Tel Aviv was scrapped at Trieste. [North Atlantic Seaway bu N.R.P.BONSOR, Vol.3,p.1331]