SS Maui was built as a commercial passenger ship in 1916 for the Matson Navigation Company of San Francisco and served between the United States West Coast and Hawaii until acquired for World War I service by the United States Navy on 6 March 1918. The ship was commissioned USS Maui (ID-1514) serving as a troop transport from 1918 to 1919. The ship was returned to Matson for commercial service September 1919 and continued in commercial service until purchased by the United States Army in December 1941. USAT Maui was laid up by the Army in 1946 and scrapped in 1948. Construction Maui was built as the commercial passenger ship SS Maui in 1916 for the Matson Navigation Company of San Francisco by Union Iron Works at San Francisco, California, and launched on 23 December 1916 destined for the company's Hawaiian service. Under the Postal Subsidy Act of 1891 the ship was built as a second class auxiliary cruiser. At the time Maui was the largest passenger ship constructed on the Pacific Coast and the largest commercial installation of geared turbines. Characteristics The hull was all steel construction with a double bottom, large hatches and cargo booms capable of handling up to 50 ton loads and four cargo ports on each side of the vessel. A deep tank between #2 and #3 holds, extending to the lower deck, was provided for carriage of molasses or fuel oil with a dedicated pump for loading and unloading. Propulsion was by two sets of single reduction type geared Westinghouse Parsons turbines of 5,000 shaft horse-power for each set, composed of two turbines of 2,500 hp each, for a total of 10,000 horse-power at full load that were provided with steam by eight oil fired Babcock & Wilcox water tube boilers. Maui was the first large twin screw passenger ship with geared turbines with previous single screw installations being between 2,000 and 3,000 horsepower rating. Each main propulsion unit was composed of a high and low pressure turbine and astern turbines developing 60% of the ahead power and, combined, designed for a speed of at propeller speed of 125 rpm under reduced boiler pressure and 129.5 at full pressure. Total weight of propulsion machinery, located aft, was 146.32 tons. There was some uncertainty concerning the turbine teeth and surfaces as the delivery of engines had been rushed so that full testing in the factory