Shawnee was a passenger steam turbine-powered ship built in 1926-1927 by Newport News Ship Building & Drydock Co. of Newport News for Clyde Steamship Company, a subsidiary of Atlantic, Gulf & West Indies Steamship Lines (AGWI Lines) with intention of operating between New York and southern ports of the United States.

During the World War II the liner was requisitioned by the US Government, and served as the United States Army Transport from September 1942 to March 1946 in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Pacific.

Early in 1925 Clyde Steamship Co. inaugurated an ambitious shipbuilding program designed to augment their cargo and passenger carrying capabilities between New York, Carolinas and Florida.

[1][2] The ship was primarily designed for passenger transportation and was built for speed being able to cover the distance between New York and Jacksonville in less than two days.

The steamer had freight decks separated into ventilated watertight and fire-proof compartments, some of them chilled with refrigerating machinery for safe transportation of fruits and vegetables from southern states.

[3] The vessel had a steel hull with double bottom, and four oil-burning steam turbines, producing 8,500 shp of power, single reduction geared to two screw propellers, that moved the ship at up to 19.0 knots (21.9 mph; 35.2 km/h).

[5][6] On 13 September 1939 Shawnee, chartered by the government through United States Lines for one round trip voyage from New York to Bordeaux, was one of five ships along with Acadia, Iroquois, Orizaba, and St. John were used to evacuate stranded American citizens from France.

After a month undergoing repairs the ship began reinforcement in May 1942 of the Caribbean bases at San Juan, Jamaica, Trinidad and Panama.

After passing through Panama the ship went to New York where the Army took over full operation on 20 September 1942 under a bareboat charter from WSA to formally become USAT Shawnee.

[10] The ship underwent a major repairs until leaving in January 1943 for Oran which had been taken as an Allied port during the North African landings in November.