Edward Luckenbach was returned to the company before mid September, 1919, resuming commercial service, mainly between New York and San Francisco.

The ship sank 1 July 1942 after mistakenly enterering a defensive minefield north of Key West, Florida and striking two mines.

[3][4][note 1] The ship had a central deck house and bridge with a single stack with two masts and eight king posts was "novel" at the time.

Edward Luckenbach was among the fourteen vessels selected by industry experts after a survey of the U.S. registry with sufficient bunker capacity and speed for the service and which were quickly available.

[6] On 17 July 1917 Edward Luckenbach departed New York in the fourth element, which had been delayed awaiting last minute dispatches and stores, of the first large convoys transporting the American Expeditionary Forces (A.E.F.)

The appeal was rejected as he was determined to be "a person serving with the Armies of the United States in the field" and subject to trial by military authorities.

The ship was assigned to the Naval Overseas Transportation Service and departed New York City on 18 September 1918 for Marseilles, France, carrying United States Army cargo.

After conversion into a transport, she made three voyages in 1919 from New York and Newport News, Virginia, with cargo for St. Nazaire, France, returning with patients, convalescents, troops, and casuals to the United States.

[9] Edward Luckenbach was unable to continue her fourth voyage to Europe – this time from Hampton Roads, Virginia – because of engine trouble.

She was lying disabled in mid-ocean in the Atlantic on 15 July 1919 when troop transport USS Arizonan – herself four days outbound on a voyage from Brooklyn, New York, to St. Nazaire, France – encountered her.

The ship sank with the superstructure above water and the 41 surviving crew and 12 man Navy Armed Guard re-board the next day.