The USS Majaba (AG-43/IX-102) was originally constructed as the Meriden, a Design 1049 cargo ship built in 1919 by the Albina Engine & Machine Works in Portland, Oregon. The vessel measured approximately 289 feet in length, with a beam of 44.1 feet and a draft of 19.2 feet. It had a gross tonnage of 2,254 GRT and was powered by triple expansion steam engines, fueled by oil. The ship was part of the Emergency Fleet Corporation's Albina Type series, designated as hull number 16 and USSB hull number 2249. Initially delivered to the U.S. Shipping Board in July 1919, Meriden served as a general cargo vessel in the Pacific Northwest and California, primarily transporting lumber and other goods. In 1923, the ship was acquired by the E. K. Wood Lumber Co. of San Francisco and renamed El Capitan, continuing in lumber trade along the West Coast. In April 1942, the vessel was chartered by the U.S. Navy through the War Shipping Administration and commissioned as USS Majaba. Converted to a miscellaneous auxiliary, she was assigned to the South Pacific, operating out of Honolulu and supporting supply missions to islands such as Palmyra, Christmas, and Canton. During the Guadalcanal campaign, Majaba delivered crucial cargo despite Japanese naval threats. On November 7, 1942, she was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine near Guadalcanal, sustaining damage to her engine room and boilers. She was beached for salvage and repairs at Tulagi, and her engines were later removed. Reclassified as IX-102 in July 1943, Majaba served as a floating barracks, storage, and repair ship at Florida Island in the Solomon Islands for the remainder of World War II. Her service included salvage and repair operations, and she earned one battle star for her wartime contribution. After the war, the ship was towed to the Philippines, placed in the reserve fleet at Subic Bay, and declared a total loss in March 1946. She sank at her pier in July 1946 and was deemed unrecoverable. Today, the wreck lies on its port side in Subic Bay, serving as a popular dive site and training location for wreck divers, with the remains accessible at depths ranging from 5 to 20 meters.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.