This was a pre-war merchant ship hull type which had been specifically designed with prospective Naval auxiliary service in mind.

The three ships of the Ormsby class were laid down in rapid succession in July–August 1942 by the Moore Dry Dock Company of Oakland, California, and commissioned within a month of one another in June–July 1943.

The period of time from the laying of the keels to commissioning therefore, was about 12 months for each ship - a fairly average timespan for C-Type vessels converted to warships.

They were then used in Operation Magic Carpet, the giant sealift organized to bring demobilizing American servicemen back home to the United States.

The three vessels in the class thus enjoyed remarkably parallel careers over the course of a service life spanning approximately 26 years.