SS Graf Waldersee was a transatlantic liner that was launched in Germany in 1898 and spent most of her career with Hamburg America Line (HAPAG).

In 1919 HAPAG surrendered Graf Waldersee to the United States as part of Germany's World War I reparations to the Allies.

[1] In March 1899 HAPAG announced that the regular route for Graf Waldersee and her three sisters would be Hamburg – Cherbourg – Plymouth – New York.

She was swamped by heavy seas, several members of her crew were injured, part of her cargo shifted and many of her deck fittings were damaged.

[6] In early 1907 the Graf Waldersee shipped the Freer Manuscripts I-IV to New York on route to Michigan.

[13] The US Navy commissioned her as USS Graf Waldersee with the pennant number ID-4040 and made Cdr Lemuel L Stevens her commander.

[14] On the night of 11–12 June 1919 the cargo ship Redondo accidentally rammed Graf Waldersee in fog about 86 nautical miles (160 km) off Sandy Hook, New Jersey.

Redondo stood by ready to assist until Graf Waldersee's sister ship Patricia arrived.

On 25 November 1919 at Stapleton, Staten Island the US Navy decommissioned Graf Waldersee and returned her to the US Shipping Board.

The others were Cap Finisterre, Imperator, Kaiserin Auguste Victoria, Mobile, Pretoria, Prinz Friedrich Wilhelm and Zeppelin.

[19] In the latter part of 1919 the British Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, under contract to the UK Shipping Controller, sent 1,100 officers and men to the US to take over Graf Waldersee, Imperator and Kaiserin Auguste Victoria.

They included 35 Goanese lascars who travelled as passengers aboard the White Star Liner Belgic to be cooks and stewards on Graf Waldersee.

[20] On 26 December 1919 President Wilson surrendered seven former German ships, including Graf Waldersee, to the UK in settlement of the dispute between the two allies.

The 35 Goanese cooks and stewards who had been detained on Ellis Island since 17 October were finally released to become part of Graf Waldersee's crew.