[3] Mariposa was designed for service in the Pacific Ocean, including regular stops in ports along the West Coast of the United States, Hawaii, Samoa, Fiji, New Zealand, and Australia.

Her maiden voyage began 16 January 1932 in New York City, where she sailed to Havana, transited the Panama Canal, and berthed in the Port of Los Angeles before continuing on to tour 10 more countries in the south and west Pacific.

Mariposa, with a Navy -designated troop capacity of 4,165 and speed of 20.5 knots (38.0 km/h), was one of the very large, fast transports, the largest nicknamed "Monsters", usually sailing without escort.

[2] 1946 Australia/New Zealand dependent voyages from Australia[21] In 1947, the ship was mothballed for six years at Union Iron Works in Alameda, California.

In 1973, a major fire destroyed much of her galley and restaurant, and she was scrapped in Taiwan next to Holland America Line SS Nieuw Amsterdam in 1974.