The ship was transferred to the United States Navy and classified as an auxiliary minelayer.

Puritan was never commissioned and thus never bore the "United States Ship" (USS) prefix showing status as a commissioned ship of the U.S.

[1] Puritan was originally the Army mine planter USAMP Col. Alfred A. Maybach MP-13.

[3] Upon transfer she was placed out of commission in reserve as the Auxiliary Mine Layer[4] ACM-16, assigned to the San Francisco Group, Pacific Reserve Fleet.

She remained out of commission in reserve berthed at Mare Island.