The vessel was chiefly employed on the East Coast and Mexican Gulf to United Kingdom routes throughout her brief career, and was eventually laid up and scrapped in 1926.

On October 22 the vessel made a short trial trip to Yonkers and back and was tentatively accepted by the Shipping Board pending repairs to her engines.

[7] After burnt out engine gears were replaced, Agawam went on a forty hour long trial trip on December 12–13 during which the vessel performed satisfactorily, reaching maximum speed of 11.11 knots.

In addition, rampant seasickness among the engine crew and exhaustion of fresh water supplies for her boilers forced Agawam to put into Bermuda on 7 January 1919.

[9] Agawam was finally able to leave Hamilton on 29 January 1919 but was further delayed for two days at St. George's due to heavy gale sweeping over Bermuda.

[9] After finishing unloading her cargo, Agawam left Naples on her return trip on March 10 and after passage through stormy weather arrived at New York on April 2, successfully concluding her ninety-two day long maiden voyage.

While en route she received a distress call from Norwegian steamer SS Seypen who lost her propeller shaft and was drifting helplessly.

[15] After unloading her cargo she sailed from England back to United States on December 17 but was forced to put in into Harwich with damaged rudder six days later.

[18] On her next trip Agawam left Savannah on June 8 loaded with 7,866 bales of cotton bound for Liverpool but was forced to put in into Hampton Roads with engine problems ten days later.

[21] The vessel and her cargo were subsequently libeled for $150,000 for assistance rendered during fire by tugs' owners and detained in port pending court action.

[22] After United States Supreme Court ruled the vessel and her cargo were to be released, and an assessment determined it was safe for the ship to travel, Agawam sailed out from Norfolk on June 26.

In order to further alleviate the problem of excessive available tonnage, USSB developed a plan in early part of 1925 to scrap a large number of smaller vessels in their possession.