SS Ankara, the Mediterranean Rose

Captain Şefik Göğen's[1] SS Ankara was the crown jewel of Turkish Maritime Lines lovingly called “AKDENİZ GÜLÜ/MEDITERRANEAN ROSE“. SS Ankara was laid up in October 1977 and scrapped at Aliaga, Turkey, in 1981. But, not before giving the lead from the walls of the x-ray room to the repairs of Ali Paşa of Çorlu Mosque (1756) at the Halic/Golden Horn, istanbul Shipyards where she was docked for a few years waiting her destiny.

The story ended in Kalıç Cove ship wrecking yard, Aliaga, Turkey near Izmir. The beginning of the story goes back to 1927 and includes seven battle stars for World War II service.


Mavi Boncuk |

The second Solace [2] (AH-5) was built by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Newport News, Va. in 1927 to serve in Antilles for New York and Miami Steamship Corp. as the passenger ship SS Iroquois. [3]

The liner was acquired by the Navy from the Clyde Mailory Steamship Line on 22 July 1940, renamed Solace (AH-5); converted into a hospital ship [2] at the Atlantic Basin Iron Works, Brooklyn, N.Y., and was commissioned on 9 August 1941, Capt. Benjamin Perlman in command. Solace was at Pearl Harbor during the attack of 7 December 1941.

Solace was decommissioned at Norfolk on 27 March, struck from the Navy list on 21 May, and returned to the War Shipping Administration on 18 July 1946. She was sold to the Turkish Maritime Lines on 16 April 1948, renamed SS Ankara, rebuilt as a passenger liner and sailed to Turkey under Captain Seyfi Gezer. Initially painted black and later as white, she became the best known cruise ship of the company under Captain Şefik Göğen[1].

Today her name lives as the Turkish Maritime Lines' Ankara ferry boat.

Image by M.Ender Ozer SS Ankara at the Kalıç Cove ship wrecking yard, Aliaga, Turkey, 1981.

[1] Şefik Göğen (b. Mardin 1902- d. No. 22, 1989) More in Turkish
[2] The first USS Solace (AH-2) was also a hospital ship in service during the Spanish American War and World War I
[3] Displacement:8,900 long tons (9,043 t) /Length:409 ft 4 in (124.76 m) / Beam: 62 ft (19 m)/ Draft:20 ft 7 in (6.27 m) / Speed: 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)