Post-WWII Ocean Travel: SS Marine Phoenix Passage Ticket (1947) – A Journey from San Francisco to Sydney

📌 Explore the significance of this 1947 Oceanic Steamship Company passage ticket aboard the SS Marine Phoenix, a post-WWII troop transport converted for passenger service. Essential for maritime historians, genealogists, and students researching transoceanic travel.

Oceanic Steamship Company One Way Cabin Class Contract Ticket for Passage on the SS Marine Phoenix, Departing from San Francisco for Sydney, Dated 16 September 1947. GGA Image ID # 12d1b14990

SS Marine Phoenix Passage Ticket (16 September 1947) 🚢✨

This rare post-WWII passage ticket provides a fascinating look at transpacific ocean travel in the late 1940s. Issued to Miss Mary B. Bartlett, it documents her cabin-class journey from San Francisco to Sydney aboard the SS Marine Phoenix, a ship originally built for wartime troop transport but later repurposed for civilian travel.

Who Should Find This Resource Valuable?

✅ 📚 Teachers & Students – Ideal for research on post-war civilian travel, ship conversions, and early Cold War-era mobility.

✅ 🏡 Genealogists & Family Historians – A key primary source for tracing passengers migrating between the U.S. and Australia.

✅ ⚓ Maritime Historians & Enthusiasts – Offers insight into Matson Navigation Company’s post-war role in ocean travel.

✅ 💰 Economists & Researchers – Includes a detailed cost breakdown of the ticket’s inflation-adjusted value from 1947 to today.

Summary of Contract Ticket ID Check

• Date of Purchase / Voyage: 16 September 1947 / 20 September 1947
• Steamship Line: Oceanic Steamship Company
• Steamship: SS Marine Phoenix
• Route: San Francisco to Sydney
• Ticket Type: Contract Ticket ID Check
• Voyage Class: Cabin Class
• Name on Contract: Miss Mary B. BARTLETT
• Etnicity of Passenger(s): Not Stated
• Contract Terms: Transcribed
• Cost of Ticket: $304.00 / $3,520.00 USD in 2020

Contract Ticket ID Check Details

Unique cabin class passage ticket San Francisco to Sydney on USN troop transport Marine Phoenix leased by the Oceanic Steamship Company and Operated by Matson Navigation Company for this and other voyages during 1947-1949.

MATSON NAVIGATION COMPANY - THE OCEANIC STEAMSHIP COMPANY
FORM NUMBER TS-21 – SERIAL NUMBER 90863

IDENTIFICATION CHECK
ONE WAY CABIN CLASS CONTRACT TICKET: FROM SYDNEY – TO SAN FRANCISCO

THIS IDENTIFICATION CHECK IS TO BE RETAINED BY PASSENGER UNTIL COMPLETION OF VOYAGE

• NAME OF PASSENGERS IN FULL: Miss Mary B. BARTLETT
• AGE: A (Adult)
• NUMBER OF:
• WHOLE: ONE
• HALF: XX
• QUARTER: XX
• INFANT: XX
• SERVANT: XX.
• TAX PAID: XXXXXX

REMARKS: SYDNEY PREPAY

NOTICE—NOT GOOD FOR PASSAGE UNTIL RESERVATION FOR A SPECIFIED SAILING HAS BEEN SECURED.

GROSS VALUE OF TICKET: $304.00

RESERVATIONS
CARRIER: THE OCEANIC SS CO        
FROM: SAN FRANCISCO to SYDNEY
[SHIP]: S.S. MARINE PHOENIX
DATE: SEPT 20, 1947 – HOUR: 5 PM
ROOM: 303  - BERTH: 13

ORDER HONORED
FORM TS-44 - NO. 17450 - VALUE $304.00
AGENT: THE OCEANIC SS CO
CITY: SYDNEY, N.S.W.

IDENTIFICATION CHECK TO BE RETAINED DURING THE VOYAGE - (NOT GOOD FOR PASSAGE)

SPECIAL NOTICE TO PASSENGERS FROM HONOLULU
RESERVATION FOR THE JOURNEY FROM HONOLULU, AS SHOWN ABOVE, IS AVAILABLE TO FIRST CALIFORNIA PORT ONLY. UPON ARRIVAL THERE THE PURSER WILL, IF NECESSARY TO CHANGE ROOM, ASSIGN COMPARABLE ACCOMMODATION BEYOND.

Relative Cost of Passage Ticket in Today's Currency Value

In 2020, the relative values of $304.00 from 1947 ranges from $2,820.00 to $25,400.00.

A simple Purchasing Power Calculator would say the relative value is $3,520.00. This answer is obtained by multiplying $304 by the percentage increase in the CPI from 1947 to 2020.

This may not be the best answer.

The best measure of the relative value over time depends on if you are interested in comparing the cost or value of a Commodity, Income or Wealth, or a Project.

If you want to compare the value of a $304.00 Commodity in 1947 there are four choices. In 2020 the relative:

• real price of that commodity is $3,520.00
• real value in consumption of that commodity is $5,450.00
• labor value of that commodity is $7,030.00 (using the unskilled wage) or $7,610.00 (using production worker compensation)
• income value of that commodity is $11,100.00
• economic share of that commodity is $25,400.00

If you want to compare the value of a $304.00 Income or Wealth, in 1947 there are five choices. In 2020 the relative:

• real wage or real wealth value of that income or wealth is $3,520.00
• household purchasing power value of that income or wealth is $5,450.00
• relative labor earnings of that commodity are $7,030.00 (using the unskilled wage) or $7,610.00 (using production worker compensation)
• relative income value of that income or wealth is $11,100.00
• relative output value of that income or wealth is $25,400.00

If you want to compare the value of a $304.00 Project in 1947 there are four choices. In 2020 the relative:

• real cost of that project is $2,820.00
• household cost of that project is $5,450.00
• labor cost of that project is $7,030.00 (using the unskilled wage) or $7,610.00 (using production worker compensation)
• relative cost of that project is $11,100.00
• economy cost of that project is $25,400.00

Samuel H. Williamson, "Seven Ways to Compute the Relative Value of a U.S. Dollar Amount, 1790 to present," MeasuringWorth, 2022.URL: www.measuringworth.com/uscompare/

🌍 Historical Context: Transoceanic Travel in 1947

The world in 1947 was experiencing a major transition:

🔹 WWII had ended just two years earlier, and many wartime-built ships were repurposed for civilian use.

🔹 The Matson Navigation Company, a key player in Pacific shipping, helped restore passenger services using converted troopships like the SS Marine Phoenix.

🔹 The U.S. and Australia had strong post-war ties, with increased migration and diplomatic relations shaping travel across the Pacific.

💡 Why It’s Interesting:

This contract ticket highlights the shift from military transport to post-war civilian migration, tourism, and economic exchange between America and Australia.

📸 Noteworthy Image:

📷 Front Cover of the SS Marine Phoenix Passage Ticket (1947) – A tangible piece of post-war maritime history, documenting travel aboard a converted military vessel.

🛳️ The SS Marine Phoenix & Its Voyage

Ship Profile: SS Marine Phoenix

🔹 Originally built as a troop transport vessel during WWII.

🔹 Repurposed for civilian travel between 1947-1949, leased by Oceanic Steamship Company and operated by Matson Navigation Company.

🔹 Part of a larger movement to restore peacetime transoceanic travel after WWII.

🔹 The Route: San Francisco to Sydney

🔹 Departure: San Francisco, 20 September 1947.

🔹 Destination: Sydney, Australia.

🔹 Cabin Class Travel: This ticket granted Miss Mary B. Bartlett a reserved cabin-class berth (Room 303, Berth 13).

📸 Noteworthy Image:

📷 Contract Ticket ID Check – Includes passenger name, berth assignment, and route details, providing crucial data for genealogists and researchers.

💡 Why It’s Interesting:

🔹 This was one of the earliest civilian voyages on a former military ship, symbolizing the transition from war to peace.

🔹 The U.S.-Australia connection was growing rapidly, making this voyage a key part of post-war migration patterns.

🧳 Passenger Details: A Journey to Australia

This ticket was issued to:

• Name: Miss Mary B. Bartlett
• Nationality: Not explicitly stated
• Class of Travel: Cabin Class
• Ticket Cost: $304 (equivalent to $3,520 in 2020)

📸 Noteworthy Image:

📷 Ticket Price Breakdown & Economic Comparison – Highlights how the cost of transoceanic travel has changed over time.

💡 Why It’s Interesting:

🔹 A $304 ticket in 1947 was a significant investment, equivalent to several weeks' wages at the time.

🔹 The ticket price reflected post-war economic recovery, as demand for travel surged after years of wartime restrictions.

💰 The Cost of Travel: Then vs. Now

💸 Ticket Cost in 1947:

• $304.00 USD
• Equivalent to $3,520 in 2020 (based on Consumer Price Index).

Other economic comparisons:

• Relative wage value: $7,030
• Relative income value: $11,100
• Economic share value: $25,400

📸 Noteworthy Image:

📷 Ticket Price Breakdown & Inflation Comparison – Illustrates how much ocean travel cost relative to wages and purchasing power in 1947.

💡 Why It’s Interesting:

🔹 The cost of ocean travel remained high despite the post-war economic boom.

🔹 Ticket prices would have been a major expense for the average worker, making ocean travel a privilege rather than a common mode of transport.

📜 Fine Print: Conditions & Restrictions on the Voyage

🔹 Not Valid Until Reservation Confirmed – The ticket alone did not guarantee a berth until a specific sailing was secured.

🔹 Passenger Must Retain Ticket Throughout Voyage – It acted as both a receipt and a boarding pass.

🔹 Honolulu Stopover Notice – Passengers traveling through Honolulu could have their room assignments changed after arrival in California.

📸 Noteworthy Image:

📷 Contract Ticket ID Check – Documents the administrative and logistical requirements of post-war ocean travel.

💡 Why It’s Interesting:

🔹 Unlike modern airline tickets, ocean liner tickets had strict terms, reflecting the logistical complexities of long voyages.

🔹 Travelers could be reassigned rooms mid-voyage, indicating high demand for ship berths in the post-war period.

🌊 Why This Document Matters to Historians & Genealogists

🔹 This passage ticket is more than just a travel document—it’s a historical artifact.

🔹 It preserves a civilian’s journey during the early post-war years.

🔹 It documents the conditions of transoceanic ocean travel, including administrative processes and berth assignments.

🔹 It offers insight into the transition from military to civilian maritime operations.

🔹 It may help genealogists track migration patterns between the U.S. and Australia.

💡 For Students & Researchers:

This primary source can be used in essays and research on:

✅ Post-war transoceanic travel & migration.

✅ The role of Matson Navigation Company in peacetime shipping.

✅ Economic impact of WWII on global travel costs.

✅ The transformation of military vessels into civilian transport ships.

🔎 Final Thoughts: A Glimpse Into Post-War Ocean Travel

The SS Marine Phoenix Passage Ticket from September 1947 is an exceptional historical document that sheds light on transpacific civilian travel after WWII.

📖 For educators and students, it provides firsthand evidence of how ocean travel functioned in the post-war era.

🌍 For genealogists, it offers a paper trail of individuals migrating between the U.S. and Australia.

⚓ For maritime historians, it highlights the adaptation of troopships for commercial use.

💡 Encourage students to use the GG Archives materials when writing essays on post-war migration, ocean travel, or maritime history.

🔍 Explore this passage ticket and uncover the hidden stories of those who crossed the Pacific in the post-WWII world. 🚢✨