<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000933136-03-000046
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20030715
<FILING-DATE>20030717
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>MILES ROBERT H
<CIK>0001184066
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-14667
<FILM-NUMBER>03790892
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1201 THIRD AVE.
<CITY>SEATTLE
<STATE>WA
<ZIP>98101
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>WASHINGTON MUTUAL INC
<CIK>0000933136
<ASSIGNED-SIC>6035
<IRS-NUMBER>911653725
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>WA
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1201 THIRD AVE
<STREET2>STE 1500
<CITY>SEATTLE
<STATE>WA
<ZIP>98101
<PHONE>2064612000
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1201 THIRD AVE
<STREET2>SUITE 1500
<CITY>SEATTLE
<STATE>WA
<ZIP>98101
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>mil214.xml
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
	<periodOfReport>2003-07-15</periodOfReport>
	<notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000933136</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>WASHINGTON MUTUAL INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>("WM")</issuerTradingSymbol>
	</issuer>
	<reportingOwner>
		<reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001184066</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MILES ROBERT H</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
			<isDirector>0</isDirector>
			<isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
			<isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
			<isOther>0</isOther>
			<officerTitle>SVP and Controller</officerTitle>
		</reportingOwnerRelationship>
	</reportingOwner>
	<nonDerivativeSecurity>
		<securityTitle>
			<value>Common</value>
		</securityTitle>
		<transactionDate>
			<value>2003-05-06</value>
		</transactionDate>
		<transactionCoding>
			<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
			<transactionCode>G</transactionCode>
			<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
		</transactionCoding>
		<transactionAmounts>
			<transactionShares>
				<value>420</value>
			</transactionShares>
			<transactionValue>
				<value>39.9500</value>
			</transactionValue>
			<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
				<value>D</value>
			</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
		</transactionAmounts>
		<postTransactionAmounts>
			<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
				<value>4328.3851</value>
				<footnoteId id="F1"/>
				<footnoteId id="F2"/>
			</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
		</postTransactionAmounts>
		<ownershipNature>
			<directOrIndirectOwnership>
				<value>D</value>
			</directOrIndirectOwnership>
			<natureOfOwnership>
				<value/>
			</natureOfOwnership>
		</ownershipNature>
	</nonDerivativeSecurity>
	<derivativeSecurity>
		<securityTitle>
			<value>Phantom Stock</value>
			<footnoteId id="F3"/>
		</securityTitle>
		<conversionOrExercisePrice>
			<value>0.0000</value>
			<footnoteId id="F4"/>
		</conversionOrExercisePrice>
		<transactionDate>
			<value>2003-07-15</value>
		</transactionDate>
		<transactionCoding>
			<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
			<transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
			<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
		</transactionCoding>
		<transactionAmounts>
			<transactionShares>
				<value>8.31</value>
			</transactionShares>
			<transactionValue>
				<value>42.1400</value>
			</transactionValue>
			<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
				<value>A</value>
			</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
		</transactionAmounts>
		<exerciseDate>
			<value>1988-08-08</value>
			<footnoteId id="F5"/>
		</exerciseDate>
		<expirationDate>
			<value>1988-08-08</value>
			<footnoteId id="F5"/>
		</expirationDate>
		<underlyingSecurity>
			<underlyingSecurityTitle>
				<value>Common</value>
			</underlyingSecurityTitle>
			<underlyingSecurityShares>
				<value>0.00</value>
			</underlyingSecurityShares>
		</underlyingSecurity>
		<postTransactionAmounts>
			<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
				<value>3381.34</value>
			</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
		</postTransactionAmounts>
		<ownershipNature>
			<directOrIndirectOwnership>
				<value>D</value>
			</directOrIndirectOwnership>
			<natureOfOwnership>
				<value/>
			</natureOfOwnership>
		</ownershipNature>
	</derivativeSecurity>
	<footnotes>
		<footnote id="F1">End of period holdings include dividends and a distribution in the Washington Mutual, Inc. (WM) 2003 Equity Incentive Plan and dividends and an adjustment in the WM Amended and Restated 2002 Employee Stock Purchase Plan for first quarter 2003.</footnote>
		<footnote id="F2">The reporting person also indirectly holds 745.7853 shares in the WM Retirement Savings and Investment Plan, which includes a first quarter 2003 contribution and dividends.</footnote>
		<footnote id="F3">Phantom stock shares acquired under the WM Deferred Compensation Plan for Directors and Certain Highly Compensated Employees (DCP) through salary deferral.</footnote>
		<footnote id="F4">Converts to common stock on a one-for-one basis.</footnote>
		<footnote id="F5">Phantom stock exercisable upon reporting person ceasing to be an Eligible Employee in the DCP.</footnote>
	</footnotes>
	<ownerSignature>
		<signatureName>By: Sophie Hager Hume, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
		<signatureDate>2003-07-16</signatureDate>
	</ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
