Matsonia, a 9402-ton (gross) passenger steamship, was built in 1913 at Newport News, Virginia. She operated between the U.S. west coast and Hawaii during most of her active career. Taken over by the Navy during World War I, she served as USS Matsonia (ID # 1589) until returned to her civilian owners in 1919. In 1932, she was laid up at Antioch, California, but was briefly employed as a cargo ship in 1936-37.

In March 1937, Matsonia was sold to Alaskan interests and renamed Etolin. The U.S. Army chartered her for troopship service in August 1940 and kept her through World War II, retaining the name Etolin. In 1940-41, she made voyages to Alaska, the Philippines and Hawaii and in early 1942 steamed down to South America before returning to the Hawaiian transport route. Later in that year, Etolin went to Baltimore, Maryland, where she was extensively overhauled. After arriving back at San Francisco, California, in July 1943, she operated from the U.S. to Australia and Hawaii. After repairs that lasted from the last part of 1944 through first seven months of 1945, Etolin twice crossed the Pacific to Japan and Okinawa. During early 1946, she served between New Orleans, Louisiana, and Panama, before being turned over to the War Shipping Administration in late April 1946 for layup in the James River (Virginia) Reserve Fleet. Etolin was scrapped at Baltimore, Maryland, in 1957.