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Handkerchief, souvenir: Greetings, Hoboken N.J., Port of Debarkation, U.S.S. Finland.

Object/Artifact
Souvenir handkerchief: Greetings, Hoboken N.J., Port of Debarkation, U.S.S. Finland. Printed silk, 10-1/8" square (originally folded to 5" x 2-3/4"). The imprinting includes a side profile depiction of the ship (see reference image attached); it did not have hull camouflage. See objects 2013.005.0064 for a handkerchief of U.S.S. Leviathan. A commemorative item presumed to be have been made for purchase as a gift for female relatives or loved ones by Army members returning from Europe on the Finland (it made eight trips as a debarkation troopship from shortly after the Nov. 11, 1918 armistice that ended World War I to September 1919 - not all were apparently to Hoboken, see reference image and notes.) Hoboken served as the major U.S. Army Port of Embarkation and, after the war's end, as a one of the four Ports of Debarkation. The ship here was once a Red Star Line ocean liner and after its decommissioning from war transport service it was returned to Red Star. Whether this novelty was manufactured in Hoboken is unknown. Where and how this item was sold is also not known.

2013.005.0041

2013.005

Lukacs, Claire

Gift

Museum Collections. Gift of a Friend of the Museum.

1918 - 1919

Date: 1918-1919

Notes: Text excerpted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Finland_(ID-4543)#U.S._Navy_service As the flow of troops was reversed to bring American troops home, Finland made 8 round trips from Europe to the United States, returning 32,197 personnel to the United States.[57] On 4 September 1919 she was transferred to the 3d Naval District and on 15 November decommissioned and delivered to the War Department,[45] and, eventually, to the Red Star Line.[1] ==== reference image http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USS_Finland_at_Newport_News_with_soldiers_on_board.jpg USS Finland (ID # 4543) In port in 1919, with troops on board, probably upon arrival from Europe. Photographed by Holladay, Newport News, Virginia. The original image was printed on postal card ("AZO") stock. Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2006. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Date: 1919 Source: U.S. Naval Historical Center Photo #: NH 104080 Author: U.S. Navy This file is a work of a sailor or employee of the U.S. Navy, taken or made during the course of the person's official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain. ==== Status: OK Status By: dw Status Date: 2013-03-20

U.S.S. Finland
reference image: 1919 view of the vessel at Newport News, VA