Borinquen (1930)

History
United States
Name	Borinquen Puerto Rico (1949) Arosa Star (1954) Bahama Star (1959) La Jenelle (1969)[1]
Namesake	Borinquen—alternate local name for Puerto Rico
Owner	Atlantic, Gulf & West Indies Steamship Inc. (AGWI), Bull Line, Arosa Line
Operator	New York and Porto Rico Steamship Company[2] U.S. Army
Route	New York to San Juan, Puerto Rico and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Builder	Bethlehem Steel Company, Quincy, Massachusetts[1][2]
Laid down	20 January 1930
Launched	24 September 1930
Completed	20 February 1931[1]
Fate	Grounded, 13 April 1970
General characteristics
Tonnage	7,114 GRT[2]
Length	413 ft 7 in (126.1 m)[2]
Beam	59 ft 8 in (18.2 m)[2]
Draft	23 ft 2 in (7.1 m)[2]
Propulsion	Oil fired tube boilers driving single, impulse-reaction type, reduction geared turbines for about 6,500hp
Notes	Capacity for 1,289 troops as USAT Borinquen[3]

SS Borinquen, the Taino language name for Puerto Rico, was a passenger liner launched 24 September 1930 and delivered to the Atlantic, Gulf & West Indies Steamship Lines (AGWI) in 1931 for operation by its subsidiary the New York & Porto Rico Line. The line operated the ship until it was requisitioned by the War Shipping Administration (WSA) the last day of 1941 for service as a troop transport. The line then operated the ship as agent for the WSA until 6 May 1944 when operation was transferred to the United States Army for support of the Normandy landings with the ship arriving off the beaches on 7 June 1944. Borinquen continued service post war until redelivered to the owners 14 June 1946. The ship was sold in 1949 and became the Arosa Star. After further sales and change in the cruise ship regulations the ship was again sold and grounded as La Jenelle on the California coast in 1970.