[7] In 1943 the ship was assigned to the command at Trinidad to supply bases in Brazil and Ascension Island.
[5] Propulsion was by three in series Newport News impulse turbines delivering up to a continuous 7,500 shaft horsepower through reduction gears to a single screw of 17 ft 8 in (5.4 m) diameter.
[5] Electricity for extensive use throughout the ship, including deck windlass, capstans, winches and watertight doors was supplied by three 250 kilowatt General Electric generator sets which also charged a storage battery bank for emergency power in case of main plant failure.
[4][15] Monterey was delivered by the New York & Cuba Mail Steamship Company to the War Shipping Administration on 14 February 1942 under a bareboat charter and operated by Atlantic, Gulf & West Indies Lines (AGWI Lines) acting as agent for WSA to meet Army transport requirements.
[16][note 3] Other possibilities were explored, including conversion to a combined operations flagship, but those were abandoned and Monterey returned to Army support.
[17] On 20 March 1946 the ship was again delivered to AGWI Lines for operation for WSA until laid up in the Reserve Fleet at Lee Hall, Virginia on 26 June and sale for $650,000 on 14 August 1947 to the Republic of with delivery to the buyer on 16 April 1948.