She was assigned to American-Hawaiian Steamship Company of San Francisco for merchant operation by the War Shipping Administration (WSA).

[4] Benjamin Ide Wheeler continued from India with her other cargo and passengers: 267 Army Engineers with all their gear, including high explosives and gasoline.

Benjamin Ide Wheeler continued from India to the Philippines, to be part of the supply ships that supported the Battle of Leyte from 7 October to 26 December 1944 in the Pacific war campaign.

SS Benjamin Ide Wheeler's United States Navy Armed Guards had to man the ship's deck guns 353 times in 76 days.

The plane and its aerial bomb exploded and sank the ship in 36 feet of water, the United States Navy Armed Guard were able to continue to defend, as the deck guns were above the waterline.