Finland was launched on 21 June 1902 by William Cramp and Sons, Philadelphia, for the Red Star Line of International Mercantile Marine (IMM).

[1] Finland sailed on her maiden voyage from New York to Antwerp on 4 October under the American flag, and remained on this route for the next seven years.

[3] In March 1909, the liner was chartered to the White Star Line, another IMM subsidiary, for three round-trip voyages between Naples and New York.

[1] During this time, noted German-American psychologist Hugo Münsterberg sailed on Finland to Europe to attend a Psychological Congress in Berlin in April 1912.

[7] Finland's dining rooms were divided during the voyage, so that the athletes on board would have "their own cuisine" and not be tempted to partake in "promiscuous indulgence in the great variety of food" on the ship.

[8] Longer distance runners would practice their starts on the track, and train by running laps around the deck, which was about one-tenth of a mile (160 m) for one circuit.

[9] There were no injuries during the entirety of the voyage,[8] and, unlike the trip of the next American Olympic delegation in 1920[12]—when the so-called "Mutiny of the Matoika" took place—no threats of a strike because of bad conditions aboard the ship.

[13] Finland was next chartered to the American Line, yet another IMM subsidiary, for service from New York to Falmouth and London beginning on 26 October.

[1] At some point during this period, Finland was equipped with four 4-inch (100 mm) guns, manned by members of the U.S. Navy's Naval Armed Guard.

According to Marjorie Crocker, an American woman headed for refugee work in Paris, the cruiser had fired a shot across the bow of Finland, and then queried the officers of the liner.

On 28 May, the committee selected Finland and thirteen other American-flagged ships that were sufficiently fast, could carry enough coal in their bunkers for transatlantic crossings, and, most importantly, were in port or not far at sea.

[16][17] After Finland discharged her last load of passengers, she was officially handed over to the Army at noon on 2 June, the last of the fourteen ships acquired.

[28] After returning to the United States, Finland 's next convoy crossing began on 6 August in the company of Henderson, Antilles, and San Jacinto, all escorted by cruiser Montana.

[29] Finland, carrying some of the troops that had tried to depart on 30 July on Saratoga before she sank near Staten Island,[30] had an uneventful roundtrip.

Three days out from New York, Lenape developed engine trouble and was compelled to return to port, but the rest of the convoy proceeded on and arrived in France on 7 October.

[34] Finland began her return journey to the United States on 28 October in an 11-knot (20 km/h) convoy with cargo ships Buford and City of Savannah and escorted by armed yachts Alcedo, Corsair, and Wakiva II, and destroyers Smith, Lamson, Preston, and Flusser.

[35] Finland, returning most of the survivors of Antilles back to the U.S., was struck on her starboard side by a torpedo from U-93 at 09:27, 150 nautical miles (280 km) from the French coast.

[40] Lieutenant (junior grade) Huntington English, from Wakiva II, received the Navy Cross, in part because he rescued a soldier who had jumped from the torpedoed transport.

[41] Chief Boatswain's Mate John P. Doyle, on Alcedo, was issued a letter of commendation for commanding a whaleboat that pulled a number of men from Finland from the water.

[29] Ready again for convoy duty the next month, she sailed from New York on 10 February with Antigone, Martha Washington, President Lincoln, and Von Steuben under escort of the cruiser Pueblo.

[43] After safely reaching Saint-Nazaire, Finland discharged her passengers and cargo that included 13,910 pounds (6,310 kg) of frozen beef for the AEF.

Leaving New York on 23 March, she convoyed with Powhatan, El Occidente, Martha Washington, and cruiser Pueblo, arriving in France on 4 April.

[48] Finland next left New York on 15 June with DeKalb, Kroonland, George Washington, Covington, Rijndam, Italian steamer Dante Alighieri, and British steamer Vauban and met up with the Newport News portion of the convoy—which included Lenape, Wilhelmina, Princess Matoika, Pastores, and British troopship Czar—the next morning and set out for France.

[54] After embarking 3,678 troops,[56] Finland departed again on 15 September sailing with Henderson, Martha Washington, Pocahontas, Calamares, Powhatan, and steamer Ulua.

Escorts New Hampshire, Pueblo, St. Louis, Stribling, Stringham, and Hopkins helped to ensure the safe arrival of all ships in France on 28 September.

[59] On 4 September 1919 she was transferred to the 3d Naval District and on 15 November decommissioned and delivered to the War Department,[47] and, eventually, to the Red Star Line.

The liner, sailing opposite her sister ship Kroonland, returned to her original route when she departed Antwerp on 28 April for Southampton and New York.

On 29 September, Finland resumed New York–San Francisco service for the Panama Pacific Line; Kroonland once again joined her sister ship the following month.