The Maritime Commission acquired them all for military service before they were completed, but only five were initially handed to the Navy and designated President Jackson-class transports with "AP" hull numbers..

This would prove to be Thomas Stone's one and only mission, as she was torpedoed, bombed, run aground and subsequently scrapped.

Thomas Jefferson, however, went on to participate in the Sicilian, Italian and Normandy landings in the European Theatre, before being transferred to the Pacific to take part in the final major operation there, the Battle of Okinawa.

Immediately after the war the surviving ships of the class were assigned to transporting troops to occupation duties in newly conquered Japan and its former territories in China and Korea.

They were then assigned to Operation Magic Carpet, the huge sealift organized to return demobilizing servicemen to the United States.