Cranston was launched by the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation on 12 January 1944, completing its journey on 28 February 1944.

The Maritime Commission turned it over to a civilian contractor, the South Atlantic Steamship Company, for operation.

[4] The SS Cranston Victory was used as a troopship in World War II in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, able to transport up to 1600 troops.

[5] In October 1945, the SS Cranston Victory arrived in New York Harbor from Europe with troops.

[7][8][9] After the war in 1946 it was laid up in the James River National Defense Reserve Fleet in Virginia.

Then on March 14, 1947, Cranston was sold for $1,005,431 to the Netherlands Government operated by Rotterdam Lloyd and named Zuiderkruis (in English the Southern Cross).